Earth Mightiest Heroes: Assemble
by Harlequin K
Summary: Earth home to heroes and villains, aliens and humans, mortals and immortals. It has face many threat over the years but there came a day when the earth face a danger so great no individual hero could save it. It was the day earth's heroes came together. See their origins as they fight and learn what it takes to be Earth Mightiest Heroes. Witness the birth of the Avengers!
1. Some Assembly Required Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Some Assembly Required, Part 1

* * *

New York State Supreme Court. Foley Square, Civic Center District, Manhattan, NY

1:03 PM EST, Wed 23 Aug 2010

* * *

Foley Square was filled with people of all ages, by the hundreds chanting slurs and anger-filled cries of justice. Many of the people held signs with various slogans, and many held pictures of loved loves killed and lost in a number of destructive military operations across the country. There were also many news crews and vans from various news networks, broadcasting the spectacle across the world.

All eyes were upon the New York State Supreme Court building, the chosen locale for the biggest trial in American history, and one that would possibly be dubbed as the trial of the century.

Case Number 125-635. Banner v. United States Army

After a devastating battle several months ago, history's longest manhunt had finally ended. The United States Army had apprehended its number one fugitive: Doctor Bruce Banner, otherwise known as The Incredible Hulk.

Police officers stood guard around the courthouse steps, regular and SWAT personnel, with cars and barricade fences holding back the large crowds. The courthouse itself was surrounded by several teams of the military's specialized HulkBusters unit, and as further safety precaution, this was the only trial that was scheduled for today. Soldiers guarded the halls leading towards the only occupied courtroom.

The courtroom itself was full of many people, their attention focused on the trial before. The fact that there even was a trial was a shock of the nation, the national media, and to the world at large. After much back and forth debating between the Pentagon & other government representatives and the legal firm of Murdock & Walters, Dr. Banner had finally but shockingly been granted a fair trial. This was all thanks to Banner's cousin, a well-renowned defense attorney known across the East Coast, despite working only in New York.

In her early thirties with long black hair and piercing eyes, Jennifer Walters was a force to be reckoned with in a courtroom. She had fought tooth and nail to give her cousin a fair trial, and had finally won her case.

Of course, that had infuriated the man behind the entire manhunt for Banner: General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, commander of Army's HulkBusters unit. The man that had made Bruce' life hell. Though he had been outraged at the sudden change, he had been forced to go along with it by his superiors, albeit reluctantly.

The trial would decide if the Army had ownership over Bruce and his work, as well as Banner's fate.

Jennifer looked at her cousin, who smiled at her while the prosecution's lead lawyer continued speaking. It had taken a lot of effort on her part, as well as days of legal work, to convince the judicial system's top tiers that Bruce deserved a fair trial for the crimes he was accused of, instead of just simply being buried in a military lab or prison. She did recognize, though, the point Bruce had made some time ago that Ross simply wouldn't take this lying down. He expected some form of retaliation from him.

Jennifer turned back to the prosecution's desk. Sitting there were two army lawyers, a federal government official and General Ross himself, a man in his mid-fifties with grayish hair and his impeccable uniform. Jennifer had wondered to herself many times how one man could cause so much pain. She sighed to herself as she turned back to speaking prosecution. A head lawyer for the military's case, he had been going on and on for almost ten minutes, listing the many dangers the Hulk represented if let loose on the public.

"...the Hulk has cost millions upon millions of dollars in property damage on a worldwide scale, Your Honor. He has amassed a death toll in the tens of thousands. He is a menace to the public at large, exemplified by his showdown with the Army and HulkBusters at Culver University, and his rampage through Harlem."

Jennifer quickly stood up. "Objection, Your Honor. My client was attacked by the Army, without cause; that attack led to battle of Culver University. He was acting in self-defense. As for the so-called 'rampage through Harlem,' my client did not start that rampage. He only stepped in to help stop the superhuman known as the Abomination. A former soldier under General Ross's command who was subject to an unstable and untested formula in order to weaponize the Hulk. And that request was made by General Ross himself, Your Honor. Facts that the prosecution has failed to mention, despite their relevance to the case!"

Ross, enraged that Jennifer was throwing his dirty laundry out in public, slammed his hands on the prosecution desk before standing up. "The Hulk is a menace and a danger to public safety! Banner's work and his blood are property of the United States Army! Every strand of hair on his head is property of the United States Armed Forces, and will be used to help our nation as we see fit!"

Jennifer glared at Ross as Bruce just sat there, looking at his oldest enemy. "Members of the jury, you just heard the general admitting that he'd experiment on Dr. Banner as if he were some kind of animal! And may I remind the court of the SHIELD files shown in this trial as evidence. They've proven that similar experiments done by Ross' HulkBusters have created a number of superpowered criminals, some of whom are currently prisoners in SHIELD custody. Each a mistake that cost lives and more lives would have been lost if it weren't for the Hulk stepping in to save your decrepit old ass!"

Several of the people in the room laughed at those remarks, while most people yelled at either sides of the case. The room quickly lit abuzz as those watching the trial shouted out remarks and the like.

The judge slammed her mallet. "Order! Order in my courtroom!" After a minute of this, the crowd finally stopped their outburst. The judge then glared at both the prosecution and the defense. "Miss Walters, I suggest you keep your comments professional. As for the Prosecution, I advise you to have General Ross refrain from another such outburst. Should it happen again, he will be escorted out of my courtroom."

Ross turned beet red with embarrassment with rage before sitting down. At the defense table, Bruce actually managed a small chuckle before he felt another hand clasp his own. He turned to look at the third person sitting at the defense table, one of Jennifer's chief witnesses in her case: Elizabeth "Betty" Ross, Bruce's girlfriend and daughter of General Ross. The brunette gave him a supportive smile and nod, reassuring Bruce of her support for him.

Jennifer sent them a small smile herself before she turned back to the judge, managing to look somewhat apologetic. "Apologies, Your Honor, but my statement remains true. The Hulk has saved thousands of lives many times, and it's because of him that many superpowered criminals are now safely behind bars."

"That is acknowledged," the judge nodded before turning back to the prosecution speaker. "You may continue your statement, Council."

The trial went on again, back on track. The words soon began drowning out in Bruce's ears and mind as he retreated back into the space of his mind that he shared with the giant green behemoth that he had once hated.

"Your cousin sure has spunk."

Bruce turned to meet the gaze of the Incredible Hulk. He had also been watching the trial unfold before him. Unlike Bruce, he made his opinion of this trial blatantly obvious: he was convinced it would do them both no good at all.

"What do you think Hulk?" Bruce asked. "If the court sides in our favor, I mean."

Hulk just turned back to Banner and glared. "Doesn't matter, Banner," he snarled. "Ross will just hunt us again and again. No matter what, we both know Ross will never let us go...We should've smashed him a long time ago."

A thought that had crossed Bruce's mind on more than one occasion. "There may be a surprise. Jen really knows her way in the justice system. She might just be able to paint us in a new light to the government and the people."

"Yeah, right. The entire world hates us and sees us as monster. They see me as a monster. They run away at the sight of me, even when I try to protect them. There's nothing anyone can say or do to change what they all think, especially Ross. No matter what I do, all they see when they look at me and see a monster." Hulk grunted with a scoff as he sat himself onto the ground. "...and maybe they're right."

Bruce found himself unable to reply, only sitting down beside the Hulk as they both continued to watch the trial go on.

* * *

Conference Room, Stark Tower. Midtown, Manhattan, NY

1:26 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010

* * *

Anthony 'Tony' Stark eyed the windows of his CEO corporate office with growing longing. He was starting to consider jumping out from them in an effort to save himself from the boring private meeting he was currently in.

That, or throwing Robert Kelly out of said window. The idea was certainly an attractive one. With some effort, the billionaire returned his focus to the Massachusetts Senator lecturing on and on in the chair in front of his desk. He had come to ask Stark and his company for a partnership and contract with the country's MRD, the Mutant Response Division, and the Senator's signature act of his political career. Along with several other requests, all to fuel his hatred of mutantkind and fan the flames of the public's fear of them. Stark had to admit, Kelly was a jackass to his core, but he was still was on a roll, even after the last three hours of droning on and on.

Bigoted bastard. How did Pepper even convince him to agree to this meeting?

'...Oh yeah, right,' Stark thought to himself with a smile. There had been alcohol involved, and not a lot of clothes. 'Sneaky woman.'

The Senator noticed his smile, and arched an eyebrow under his glasses. "Is there something, Mister Stark?" he asked. "Because I have to emphasis how little of a laughing matter is anything of what I've said."

Tony killed a groaned before it had chance to fully develop. "No, Senator," the billionaire replied with a faux smile, replacing the genuine one of moments ago. "Actually, I find everything you're saying rather boring and tedious. No offense, of course."

At that, Senator Kelly narrowed his eyes. "This is a very serious matter, Mister Stark. I can cite dozens upon dozens of cases of mutant terrorism against humanity that will prove my point: mutantkind is a danger to our ways of life. The Brotherhood leader, Magneto, blowing up a squadron of the MRD's Sentinels, his recent attack on MRD headquarters and the escape of several dangerous mutants from SHIELD custody only prove my point even more. But Mister Stark, you can put a stop to that. With your vast resources and genius coupled with our own initiatives, you can help us eradicate the mutant problem once and for all. With how many times you've helped the US government before, it's only natural that we come to you."

Stark rolled his eyes; the senator was really laying it thick, this had to be good. "And exactly how would I be able to help with that, Senator? You're clearly asking me for a weapons contract, or something along those lines. I'm no longer a weapons manufacturer, that's public knowledge. Stark Industries has changed from the old days, and I've taken it in new directions. I only seek to help the world."

"That's precisely what I'm talking about, Mister Stark. You're the perfect man for the job. We need to let mutantkind know that the American people won't cowered under the beds in fear before them, but will stand their ground. Your technological ingenuity and skill will help us show that."

"...you coming to me to get upgrades Trask tech?"

"Trask is a revolutionary genius in his technology, yes, but your technology shows much more promise."

Stark sighed as he rolled his eyes again. "I assume there's more?"

"Yes, Mister Stark," Kelly replied. "We'd like for Stark Industries to design and create a new mutant detection device for the MRD. Our current model has a few flaws, and they don't pick mutants of a certain degree of strength and power levels. And...we'd like to contract Stark Industries for the design and construction of a new detainment facility for mutants. The first of its kind; our intentions are that it nullifies their powers, making them easier to handle and contain. It's known that Reed Richards helped design at least one of SHIELD's prisons. I'm sure you can do the same for us, correct?"

Tony arched his eyebrow. "Is that all, Senator? No 72' flat screen T.V, or maybe even a photo of Captain Marvel naked?"

Kelly blinked in surprise before narrowing his eyes in anger. "Do you think this is a joke, Mister Stark?"

"Of course not, Kelly. I'm actually quite serious especially about the photo. If you happen to find one, please, mail it to me. Though you'd probably just keep it to yourself...and the photo would've probably make national headlines by that point-"

"Stark, this is a serious matter!"

"Really?" Stark replied in anger, rising from his desk chair. "Because I personally find it a joke that you come into my building thinking you can recruit me into your little misguided crusade against mutants. I've already caused the deaths of enough Americans because of the weapons I've developed. Stark Industries will never create, design or build any more weapons, much less a prison to detain any mutant that happens to fall in your line of sight. And as of now, you can guarantee that I'm donating a large sum of money to your opponent in the next election. Good day Senator."

Turning his back on the senator, Tony waited for him to leave. After several moments, he heard the sound of retreating footsteps before he heard his office doors slam shut. He sighed and went to pour himself a drink from his private liquor cabinet. "JARVIS," he called out, "screen all calls from the Senator, his people and pretty much all MRD personnel. I don't want to see or hear them again. And...where's Pepper?"

'Already done, sir,' the British-voiced AI replied. 'Ms. Potts is currently entering her office. Should I call her?'

Tony smirked, shaking his head. "Thank you, JARVIS, but that's okay." Finishing his drink, he left his office to go and say hi. Finding her office doors open, he entered and found her with her back turned, apparently looking at some papers. He smiled at the sight of her, as he did every time he saw her; he was really lucky to have her and his love for her grew every day. He move silently towards her and soon folded his arms around her, making her jump as he bit her neck.

"Tony! Jesus, you scared me!"

He bit her again then turned her around and kissed her. "That was for saddling me with Senator Asshole."

She gave him a brilliant smile and gave him another kiss. "Well, he was very stubborn. It was you or no one else, and he's been badgering me for a meeting for the past six months. Plus, you owed me for that meeting you fell asleep in last week."

He grinned at her. "That was because I was finishing my newest armor. You have to see this one; it's the best model yet. Actually, I just finished it last night and I've been dying to test it out." Tony had been working and tinkering on the new model for weeks now, installing new weapons and features, making it his strongest model yet. "We can go right now and I can show you."

Pepper pouted in response. "We can do that later. How about we go eat somewhere?" Stark ignored that and kiss her passionately and soon they were entirely too busy to go eat. "JARVIS cancel all meetings and appointments for the next couple of hours," Pepper said between breaths.

'Of course, Ms. Potts.'

* * *

Fiery Nether Realm. Hell.

* * *

Nothing tasted better than mortal souls.

They were such sweet delicacies, mortals. Their pain and suffering were sweet music to his ears, even if their realm was nothing but a dust rock. And their concept of demons and evil was so much fun he took pleasure in appearing as what they fear the most. It relished him to hear the screams of souls while they looked upon them as he tortured them in such a form of misconception.

He then changed his appearance to that of a devil, with red skin and black horns, dressed in a simple kilt and cape that fell on his shoulders. He looked through the different viewing portals before his throne, watching the humans going about their lives, not knowing today was the day the earth will fall to Mephisto.

But those humans were only the appetizer to the main course. What he was really interested in were the souls of the pure and mighty. But first, he had to drag them out of their hiding places. And if the earth fell during his little shopping spring...well, all the better for him.

"Blackheart! Mephista!"

Mephisto's voiced boomed across his dominion as he called out to his children. Moments later, Blackheart was the first to appear in a burst of infernal flames. His son was the epitome of evil. Tall and rotten to the core, he appeared in his favored form that of a humanoid demon covered in black spikes, and black dreadlock-like spikes for hair. His son's red eyes looked at him with cold disposition. Mephista appeared next, beautiful and deadly. His daughter was his pride and joy. She stood before her Lord and father, with fiery red hair and vicious green eyes, and a body most mortal women would kill for, save for her black wings and prehensile tail. She, like him, had horn on her head, and delighted in impaling anyone stupid enough to cross her.

"Yes, father." They both said as they kneeled before him.

"My children, the day has come for the earth to fall on its knees," Mephisto said with a sinister smirk. "We will feast on the souls of mortals, gorge ourselves in their blood. I want you to go, take the legions of my demons. Bring me the strongest and purest souls you can find. Summon the Haarzareth...they have been cooped up in here for far too long. They could use the fun."

Mephista nodded at once, while Blackheart just looked at his father. "What of the so called heroes of Earth, father?" he asked. "If they showed up what are we to do with them?"

Mephisto grinned at his son. At the entity's back, hordes of demons began amassing, screeching and roaring in anticipation. They had heard the summonings of their lord, and were ready to serve his wishes and do his bidding. The hordes, counting into the hundreds, prepared themselves for the carnage lying ahead as Mephisto dispersed his viewing portals.

"Kill them all, and bring them here to me. None of them can stop us."

Blackheart and Mephista both bowed to their father before they were consumed within infernal flames. In an instant, both teleported from Hell to the realm of Earth, specifically in New York City.

* * *

Central Park, Manhattan, New York

1:37 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010

* * *

Central Park was famous as a New York landmark. Holding several tourist attractions, a zoo and more than enough space for people to relax and enjoy themselves, it was a popular locale for many tourists and New Yorkers. Today was no different as people went about their usual business in Central Park, enjoying the day as always.

That all changed as new the Park's Columbus Circle entrance, a circle of swirling infernal flames suddenly roared into existence, grabbing the immediate and shocked attention of dozens and dozens of people. The flames soon dispersed to reveal Blackheart and Mephista, who had taken on a more human-like appearance. Blackheart looked like a man in his mid-thirties with long black hair, wearing a black trench coat with a fedora. Mephista looked like an early twenties redheaded girl, wearing a black skin tight leather suit.

Immediately, people began screaming in fear and horror. A number of them began running in fear, while others only stood in place, pointing and yelling out. A few even began calling the police.

Blackheart looked at the mortals fleeing and cowering before them and curled his lip. Humans were so weak and pathetic, nothing but worms to be crush beneath his boot. While he enjoyed getting himself dirty in their work, however, he hated how his father sat cozy in his realm. Soon, however...soon, the old man would learn to fear him. On that day, he would take his father's throne for himself and rule Hades as he saw fit. But first, he will conquer this pitiful realm and make the mortals beg for death. Looking at his sister, he recognized how much of a wild card she was in his plans. He had to be careful, for she was extremely loyal to their father. She could prove to be a nuisance once he decided to challenge Mephisto for his throne.

That was a problem for another time. He and his sister had more pressing matters at the moment.

Blackheart and Mephista joined hands, and moments later, a surge of magical energy swept through all of Manhattan. Across the island, more than a hundred small portals formed out of thin air, birthed from the magical surge. Roars rang out as from these portals poured legions of demons. Looking like something out of the minds of horror movie masterminds, the demons had red scaly skin, horns and tails, standing at fifteen feet.

As soon as the demons appeared, all Hell literally broke loose. People screamed in fear as they began running for their lives. The efforts of many were in vain, however, and to no avail. The demons descended upon every human in sight, roars filling the skies as they started killing left and right devouring anyone they could grab. Buses and cars were ripped apart and torn aside, stores and restaurants were broken and shattered as the demons filled themselves with human flesh. Within minutes, the streets of Manhattan Island were covered in blood and gore.

Blackheart and Mephista smiled at the carnage before their eyes, the screams humanity rising into the skies as their legions ran amok. Mephista turned to her brother with an evil smirk on their face. "Come brother, we must begin the ritual to summon the Haarzareth unto this plane."

Ahh, yes; the Haarzareth. Their father's personal elite demons. Three demons so strong that they could wipe out the Earth in a week. With the force they now had at their disposal, it would only take them a few hours; after they were summoned, of course.

Smiling, Blackheart followed Mephista deeper into Central Park.

* * *

The Coffee Bean. Columbus Circle, West Side Manhattan

1:38 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010. Minutes before all Hell literally breaks loose.

* * *

In a popular coffee shop located in Columbus Circle, just outside of Central Park, two friends were having a cup of coffee after a whole day of shopping. One of them a beautiful blond woman in her late twenties, wearing a blue shirt and ripped jeans and was laughing at something her companion had just said. The other one was a British femme fatale of roughly the same age; she had long black hair and she was wearing a red tight tank top and shorts. She was not so subtly ogling the waiter while he delivered their drinks.

"Jess, please stop it," Carol Danvers told her best friend with a laugh. It was good seeing her after she had been gone months on a SHIELD mission. It had been too long; she had almost forgotten how her antics always gave her a smile. "Seriously, that poor guy was a puddle of sweat."

"Oh shut it Carol, I was just been polite," Jessica Drew, an agent of SHIELD, replied with her own grin. "Besides, he is kind of cute." She took a sip of her drink before she added, "Why don't you take him out for a ride? He was checking you out too, you know."

Carol groaned, giving Jess an exasperated look. "We are not here to talk about my love life, Jess. This was supposed to be a girl's day out."

Jess just grinned at her. "Don't you mean your lack of it? Come on, Carol. You haven't been on a date in what, two years? Seriously, you need to have a little fun and enjoy yourself."

Carol glared at her friend. Unfortunately for her, Jess was more than used to her death glares, as they simply bounced off her. After a few moments, Carol just sighed. "More like three, actually. But come on, Jess, you know my track record when it comes to guys. They were either idiots, just wanted me for my body, or both. Where the hell am I going to find a nice responsible guy? And besides, in the one real relationship I've ever had, the guy was killed because of what I do."

Jess just rolled her eyes. "What you need, my friend, is someone to take you on a wild ride, and can take you out of your comfort zone. Dealing with your, well, let's call it a double life, would definitely be a nice bonus. Oh, and of course, he must treat you right. Because if he doesn't, he won't be able to do much after I'm through with him."

Carol rolled her eyes, grinning at her friend's overprotectiveness. "What I need a responsible serious and genuine kind of guy, not some lame-brain and horny idiot."

Jess was about to comment on that when they heard a resonating boom echo out from nearby, apparently from Central Park. All nearby people stopped suddenly, murmurs echoing amongst them as several nearby cops began talking into their radios. Everyone then cried out in surprise and shock as a surging wave burst through the immediate area and the rest of the island.

Screams then began ringing out as numerous portals formed into existence, with horrendous creatures, demons, began pouring out. They roared as they began attacking any and all humans in sight, caused random destruction. Hideous and bloodthirsty, the demons were huge, red and though a minor detail in the issue, they stank of ash and brimstone.

While the rest of the people nearby were screaming in terror and fleeing for their lives, Carol simply swore as her eyes and hands began glowing vibrantly with yellow energy. "Can't have a day off in this city, damn it." Her body glowed as her clothes morphed into a red and blue skin tight costume with a yellow Kree starburst insignia over her chest, and a sash on her hips.

Jess, meanwhile, had grabbed a black bag next to their shopping bags, quickly taking out a bright uniform. She quickly changed into a red Kevlar material suit, completely red except for her yellow gloves and boots. A yellow insignia covered her chest, ending just below her belly button. Her mask had an upside down triangle and big white lenses. Her own hands were glowing with dangerous green energy.

"Oh, come on, Carol," Jess called out as the two themselves shot into the chaos. "There's no complaining on the job. Besides this a good way to burn off those doughnuts we had."

Carol didn't bother to answer, instead firing an energy blast at a nearby demon. She grabbed the kid it had making to kill, quickly taking him to safety. Three other demons made to attack her, but were quickly interrupted as Jess struck at them with a pair of venom blasts and a series of martial arts strikes. Before flying back to help Jess who was busy kicking ass out of three demons.

With that, Captain Marvel and codename: Spider Woman began an all-out war against these invaders. All the while unaware of the two demonic entities within Central Park preparing the ritual to summon Hell's three most devastating weapons.

* * *

Unknown Bar within Times Square. Manhattan, NY

1:40 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010. Minutes before all Hell literally breaks loose.

* * *

Within a popular bar within Times Square, many of the patrons and staff currently present had their eyes on one of several TV screens. There was a news broadcast of Senator Kelly being interviewed at LaGuardia Airport. One of the few not paying attention was a 6'3" man with bushy sideburns smoking a cigar and talking on his phone. He wore a black flexible leather armor, with small yellow lines making an X pattern on his chest.

"Senator Kelly!" came the voice of one of the reporters on screen. "Can you comment on your meeting with Stark Industries CEO Tony Stark? Any details on what meeting was about?"

"On behalf of the Mutant Response Division and the US government, I approached Mister Stark in the spirit of cooperation," Kelly replied, still appearing somewhat disdainful of how it had gone. "My intention was to establish a partnership with Stark Industries, helping the MRD and United States in their efforts to deal with the mutant menace we as a species and people face. Sadly, Mister Stark wasn't as cooperative as I had hoped he would be, but I can assure the American people that this will not hinder our efforts. We will not rest until the mutant threat is ended once and for all!"

Many people in the bar cheered at hearing the Senator's words. The man in black simply rolled his eyes, trying to hear the woman he was arguing with on the phone, ignoring the TVs altogether. "Come on, Red. Stop nagging me, it was just a little love tap."

"A love tap?" the woman replied, sounding more annoyed than angry. "You punched Cyclops straight into unconsciousness. He's going to wake up with a killer headache, and on top of already being mad at you, he's going to find out you cut the roof of his car…again."

The man grinned, remembering delivering that sweet punch into 'Slim's' face. "Jeanie, you know he deserved it, telling me what to do. Besides the kid we rescue is safe, the MRD are nursing broken bones and from it looks like on TV, Kelly looks like he's about to blow a gasket. Guess Stark told him to beat it."

"...Why did you stay behind, anyways?" When Logan gave no answer to her question, the woman sighed in exasperation. "Logan, we've talked about this. We have to work together; it's the only way we can make sure that all of us get back home safely. I know you like doing your own solo thing, and that you don't care if you get hurt because you think you're indestructible. But we get worried about you…I worry about you, Logan."

Drowning a large gulp of beer, the man tried to drown the knot in his throat. He didn't care about Cyclops, even though sometimes he made some good choices as a leader. Not that he will ever tell him that. But if there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was making Jean Grey worried.

"I know Red," he sighed, "and I'm sor-"

His words were interrupted as a significantly loud boom rang out from outside. Looking out the windows, the patrons and staff could just see some kind of wind gale blowing through the streets in a surging manner. As it disappeared, dozens upon dozens of alarms from vehicles outside began blaring. Those within and outside the bar began murmuring in confusion, surprise and for some, even fear.

The man was among them. "What the hell…?"

"Logan, what happened? I thought I heard-"

Jean's words were drowned out as a huge explosion destroyed the wall towards the street, killing several people. The rest of those present began screaming and running for the exits as a huge red scaly thing appeared in the dust from the explosion. It began snarling and roaring, soon attacking everything in sight, slaughtering the nearest humans and destroying all furniture around it.

Everyone was going into a state of panic, except the man in black who looked, surprisingly, annoyed. "...Jeannie, I have to call you back; something just came up."

"Logan, what was that explosion? Logan?! Log-!"

Her voice was silenced as the man shut his phone. Finishing his beer and lighting a cigar, he then got up and walked over to the creature, much to the shock of those present. A metallic "Snikt! Snikt!" was heard as six metal claws shot ejected out of his hands, three on each.

"Listen, bub, you just made me hang up on a pretty girl I like, and that put me in a really bad mood. So I suggest you back off before you get gutted."

The beast roared at the man in defiance, grabbing a nearby piece of concrete as club. The man smirked. "So that's how it's going to be?...Good. RAHHHHHHH!"

The man then roared as he jumped into the air, avoiding the demon's wing at him with the concrete weapon. He then slashed at it, slicing the weapon in half before impaling his claws into the creature's chest, roaring into its face. The beast roared back in rage and agony as it tried to shake him off, but he just kept stabbing and slashing away, climbing up the creature's body until he cut its head off. Vile green blood erupted, soaking his face, hair and armor. Jumping off the creature's body, he then looked out the gaping hole the creature had made, seeing more of the same creatures running rampant across the streets, attacking and killing people and causing untold destruction.

He sighed exasperated. "Going to be one those days huh?" Shaking his head, he then stepped out of the bar's hole and into the streets of Time Square to enter the carnage-filled fight off before him.

* * *

SHIELD Helicarrier, 2000ft above sea level. Mid-Pacific Ocean

9:49 AM PST, Wed 23 August 2010

* * *

Alarms blared across the entirety of the Helicarrier, with the halls filled with soldiers and agents running left and right. The PA system was blaring with deployment orders, the flight deck prepping to ship off combat ready agents.

The most advanced mobile defense headquarters on the planet was in a frenzy, something that almost never happened.

A brown haired man in his late thirties wearing black suit attire soon entered the Helicarrier's command bridge, currently roaring with activity. Ignoring the orders being yelled and information being exchanged, he immediately stepped behind an African American man who stood before a stand of advanced monitor screens. He was in his mid-forties and wore a black leather coat that fell to his shins. The man was completely bald, and his left eye was covered by an eye patch.

The man in charge of the safety of the whole world, Director Nick Fury was a notorious legend.

"Coulson, what the hell is going on?" Fury demanded as he turned to face him.

Not one to mince words, SHIELD Agent Phil Coulson quickly keyed a sequence on the nearest keyboard, broadcasting on several monitors data streams and satellite information regarding the attack on New York by some sort of reptilian-like creatures attacking the city. "Satellites and sensors picked up two dimensional fluctuations in Central Park less than ten minutes ago, then they increased in number exponentially. We have a rising number portals with these creatures pouring out. Our New York offices are responding as we speak but are demanding reinforcements. Local police are engaging, and the US military is being alerted. Casualties have already reached the high hundreds, sir."

Fury swore to himself as he turned back to the buzzing command bridge. He wasn't a man that liked surprises; in fact, he prided himself in creating protocols and preparing for every possible scenario. But this was completely unexpected. He was about to start giving orders when an incoming transmission suddenly came in over one of the SHIELD networks.

"-ention SHIELD Helicarrier, this Agent Drew-we need serious….zzzttt ognd up…Manhattan is been overrun byzzzztttt….send in eve…one!"

Fury snapped into action, quickly replying, "Drew this is Director Fury. What's your status?"

There was no response, the line crackling with static. "Get me a clear line to Agent Drew this minute," Fury ordered. A number of agents quickly set to work doing so, and after less than a minute, their efforts paid off.

"-blood hell, Fury, are you listening to me?! Send in everyone…Damn it!"

"Drew, we hear you loud and clear," Fury replied as Coulson quickly drew up the agent's coordinates.

"Thank bloody God. Carol and I are in Manhattan's Upper West Side, near Central Park. New York is under attack by scaly, stinking reptile things! We need immediate backup, now!"

At that moment, Fury's second in command came over to him. She was a woman in her early thirties with long black hair, wearing a standard issue SHIELD uniform. Maria Hill was one of few people Fury could thrust, at least when she wasn't driving him crazy.

"Sir, The World Security Council is on line three."

...Of all the times to be bothered. "Tell them to wait. Coulson, locate me the closest specialized team to New York and dispatch them immediately." Returning to his comm, Fury continued, "Drew, you and Danvers are going to have to hold your ground for now. The Helicarrier is too far to deliver any heavy support. I'm alerting all bases and active personnel now."

Explosions were heard in the background on Jessica' side, along with some creative British swearing. "Fury, I don't think you understand; there's too damn many of these things. We need backup NOW!"

"Sir, we're detecting a massive surge of dimensional energy within Central Park. Our readings confirm that energy readings match the signature of the first two fluctuations we detected," Coulson said, pulling up the readings for Fury to see.

"That could be the source of all this," Hill noted.

"Might just be," Fury agreed, a plan formulating in his head as he looked at the satellite maps of Manhattan before him. The screen showed him Drew's current location and the location of the energy surge. "Drew, you and Danvers head two miles north of your current location. There's a massive concentration of dimensional energy there, possibly source of all this. Find it and shut it down fast. Backup is coming your way, ASAP!"

Another series of explosions, as well as fighting sounds, echoed through before the agent's reply came. "Oh, goody, back to Central Park... Okay, two miles north got it."

As the communication channel broke, Coulson immediately turned to Fury. "Sir, the only specialized operatives within the vicinity of New York are Captain Rogers and his team. They were transporting Baron Zemo to the Raft; they're currently wrapping up the transfer progress."

"Contact Rogers and tell him to get his team to Central Park to assist Drew and Danvers," Fury ordered. As Coulson opened the appropriate channels, the Director turned to Hill. "How soon can we make it to New York at top speed?"

"Several hours, sir, even with our ARC enhanced speeds, sir."

Fury glared at her, though knew that that was the best they were going to get. Turning to the entire command bridge, he yelled out. "! want every camera and microphone recording what's going on in New York. I want eyes all over Manhattan! We are going to figure out how the fuck this happened, and ensure this doesn't happen again!"

As the chorus of "Yes, sir!" rang out, he turned to Hill said, "Take command; I'm going to see what the Council wants.

"Sir!" Maria nodded as Fury left. She had to admit working for Nick Fury was never boring.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

Hey, guys. Harlequin K. here with another new story. I seem to be on a rolled these days huh? Well, first of all, I would like to thank my friend Dakkaman777 for helping me out with this story, and I highly recommend anyone to go and read his "The Marvel Alliance" story and its sequel, "Flames of War." Another shout out to my other friend, who inspired me to write this, and is a heck of a writer: Reborn Dark Phoenix. Go to his page and read his stories, they are amazing.

As always, my friends, read and review. This is a massive story with multiple arcs that I have in store as we see the Avengers come together as a team and learn what it is to become Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Any opinions and questions? Please leave a review with them, and I will gladly answered them.

Until Next Time,

Harlequin K.


	2. Some Assembly Required Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Some Assembly Required, Part 2

* * *

Some Random Building. Tribeca-Civic Center District borderline, Manhattan, NY.

1:49 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010

* * *

"Bruce, never become a superhero. Trust me; it's the anti-Viagra of relationships. I mean, sure, things didn't work out with MJ because of one thing or the other..."

Sitting atop an old building in lower Manhattan, a man wearing a tight red and blue costume with a spider insignia on his chest and mask with big white lenses was crouched next to a stone gargoyle. Both were overlooking the city as the costumed man talked about his life's problems and whatnot. This was his special place, where he could come and talk to his special friend.

Of course, the gargoyle would always remain silent as it overlooked the city.

"You don't have to be so rude about it," the man continued. "Yeah, her modeling career was important to her...and, well, getting kidnapped by several villains can put a damper on any heat she had for me. But we're still friends."

Again, the gargoyle made no comment whatsoever.

"Don't even go there, you overgrown hunk of rock. Felicia's crazy and wild; besides she loves Spider-Man, not Peter Parker. And what woman would put up with crazy scientist and weird animal-themed supervillains? I mean, even Ben dates more than me and he's made of rock."

The gargoyle continued to ignore the man as he rambled on.

"Yeah, you're right Bruce," the man sighed. "There's a girl out there for everybody. But no woman would be safe with me for a boyfriend. And besides, a freelance reporter doesn't sound so appealing."

Before he could say another word, his Spider-Sense began buzzing like crazy, giving him a massive headache. The sounds of vicious roars began echoing from below in the streets, making the man look down below. To his utter shock, red-scaled reptilian-like creatures were running rampant all over the place, with some kind of glowing portals spitting them out like hotcakes. The creatures were attacking and killing people left and right.

"Oh my God...ok, Bruce, it was nice talking to you, but I've got to go! See you next Friday for our session!"

With that, Peter Parker, the hero known across New York City and the world as the Amazing Spider-Man, jumped off from the ledge and began plummeting down to the streets of a now demon infested city. Some called him the first true superhero, for he was one of the few who didn't just stop supervillains but everyday crime as well. However, for the followers and the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, he was menace that needed to be stop. That had never stopped him before.

Shooting a web line from his wrists to a building, he swung down and leapt into the face of one of the demon. He looked at the others. "Hey, Halloween came early this year! Good thing I brought my costume, I just love those best-costume-contests. You guys wouldn't win any of them, though; seriously, you're all dressed alike! What were you guys thinking?"

He started jumping from demon to demon, kicking and punching demons left and right, dodging and weaving thanks to his Spider-Sense to avoid getting splattered on the floor. Armed with the proportional strength of a spider, his skills and abilities, and his witty humor, Spider-Man set off to fighting the demons and protecting any civilians that he could.

* * *

Baxter Building, home & headquarters of the Fantastic Four. Midtown, Manhattan, NY

1:49 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010

* * *

"...Sue?"

"One moment, darliiiuurrhh!"

Hunched over a toilet, letting go of the last of her breakfast, Sue Storm-Richards had definitely felt better most days. Right now, she felt like crap. All she had was oatmeal, but the moment it touched her stomach it decided to come back for a reunion. She wondered if she might possibly have had a stomach virus or something. Either way, these daily visits to the porcelain god were becoming too frequent for her taste.

Standing at the bathroom doorway, arms crossed and worry on his face, stood her husband Reed Richards. "Sue, please, let me do a blood test and see what's wrong. We can have the results in two minutes."

Getting up, Sue rolled her eyes at her husband's antics. She splashed some water on her face before coming out, seeing that her husband had sent his arm two floors down to retrieve a test tube and needle. "Reed, don't even try, I'm okay. It's just a stomach bug or something."

Reed still looked worried; it wasn't like Sue to be sick, or for any of them to be, for that matter. "Sue we don't get sick. Just let me-"

Sue smiled and kissed her husband, interrupting his words. "Honey, even superheroes get sick once in a while. Besides, it's probably just something I ate."

"Sue, you ate oatmeal. How the hell does anyone get sick from oatmeal?"

"It's nothing to worry about, come on let's go and finish those reports on that new project you're working on."

Following his wife back to their lab, Reed sighed to himself. He was definitely worried about Sue, but he knew his wife was headstrong. She wouldn't do something she didn't want to do. All he wanted was some peace of mind about his wife's health, but he decided to let the matter go for now. He followed Sue, the final adjustments into the 42 construct project slowly returning to mind, a SHIELD project to build an inter-dimensional prison meant to contain the most destructive villains in the world.

Downstairs in the big recreation room, Ben Grimm sat on a couch watching a lion documentary with a bowl of popcorn in his hand. His body entirely made out of orange stone, the Thing was the strongest member of the Fantastic Four, with strength on par with that of the Hulk and Captain Marvel. As he laughed at a cub biting its father's tail, a second man entered the rec room. He was in his mid-twenties with blond hair wearing a tuxedo grinning from ear to ear. Deliberately standing in front of Ben, he did a little twirl.

"What do you think, big guy? It's for that party on the Upper East Side. Do I look good, or do I look good?"

Ben sighed as he looked at his friend. "Ya look like a stunt man from a two star action movie. What's the movie called, 'Flight of the Firefly?'"

Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, smiled at his friend. "At least I don't look like something Barney Rubble left on the toilet."

Ben threw some of his popcorn at Johnny, who walked towards the window. "I told ya, I ain't interested in parties. Now leave me alone, I wanna see Simba piss of his-"

"Um...Ben?" Johnny said from by the window, shock in his voice. "Could you come here for a sec?"

But before Ben could reply, the program changed to a national emergency news broadcast bulletin. "We sorry to interrupt your regular programing with this emergency news bulletin." The screen the shifted to the streets of Manhattan

"Manhattan is being attacked by large reptilian creatures. The invasion started less than ten minutes ago, and already the streets are up in flames and chaos, with police desperately trying to fight back! Carnage is littered across the streets, with the creatures slaughtering people left and right! The mayor, governor and President have all declared a state of emergency, and we're getting word that the military is deplooaaaaaaahhh!"

The news woman was cut off as an enormous reptilian creature grabbed her by the waist, eating her in one bite. The image shifted as the camera fell to the streets, the camera person running for their lives. Both Ben and Johnny were shocked at the sights, Ben at the screen and Johnny at the scene in the streets below.

"This is the fourth tuxedo..." Johnny muttered to himself before he began yelling over his shoulder. "Reed, you better start making flame resistant clothing and get your elastic butt over here!" Without waiting another second, he opened the window and jumped out, his body bursting into flames as two words shooting out of his lips.

"FLAME ON!"

His suit and pants burned away into ashes, revealing his blue and black Fantastic Four suit, a stylized number four insignia on his chest. The Human Torch flew down and blasted a particular nasty demon with a blast of flames. Seeing that the creatures were slaughtering everyone they could get their hands on. he didn't hold back at all. His blasts were so powerful it was enough to turn sand into glass. To his shock, however, his flames had no effect on the demon; that had never happened before. The lizard-like demon slowly turned to Johnny in anger and annoyance before swatting him like a fly making him crash into a nearby building.

Dazed and in pain, Johnny struggled to get up, seeing the demon looming closer to him. "Oh, this isn't good."

"IT'S CLOBBERING TIME!"

The demon barely looked up, only to be crushed by the ever lovin', blue-eyed Thing smashing into him from above. Both crashed heavily into the streets with extreme force, sending granite and dirt shooting into the air. Ben quickly began slamming his fists into the demon's head and back, over and over, the demon screeching in rage before it soon was kicked into the skies by the hero.

"Are you alright, Johnny?" Sue called out from above, her and Reed in the Fantasti-Car as they flew down into the chaotic scene.

"Yeah, I'm good," Johnny replied. "But my flames have no effect on them." More roars and screeches grabbed the attention of the family of superheroes. They turned to see many of the demons running rampant across the streets around them, smoke and fire reaching for the skies and screams of people echoing all around them.

"Well, Firefly," Ben yelled out, cracking his knuckles, "you blind them and I'll clobber them." And with that, the Thing began charging towards the demons, the Torch soon following with the Richards close behind in the Fantasti-Car.

"My God, Reed," Sue muttered to herself as her husband tried scanning the invading hordes with his PDA scanner and the Fantasti-Car's equipment. "What are these things?"

"I...I have no idea, Sue," Reed replied, a look of confusion and worry on his face. "I have no idea at all."

As one, Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Human Torch and The Thing began unleashing themselves into the fray, attacking demons left and right and trying to save as many people as they could. But with how much destruction was going on, and how much death was now occurring, it seemed like not even the Fantastic Four could make a dent. That wouldn't stop the First Family of Heroes from trying, however.

Whatever came, they would face it head-on together, as one.

* * *

Office of Pepper Potts. Stark Tower, Midtown, Manhattan, NY

1:54 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010

* * *

The office echoed with pants, moans and cries of pleasure and ecstasy. There was a mess papers and files scattered everywhere, mixed along with several articles of clothing. On the floor, Pepper rode Tony like nobody's business, their breaths coming fast and short as they moved together in sync.

'Sir.'

Tony ignored the voice of his AI. He was enjoying the pleasure of the moment, one with the woman who held his heart in her hand.

'Sir, there is an emergency.'

Again, no response save for more moans of ecstasy.

"Sir, dozens upon dozens of extradimensional portals have opened throughout the island of Manhattan. Hundreds of large and reptilian creatures are emerging from them. They've essentially invaded Manhattan, killing any and every one they find. Reports confirm that the New York City Police Department and the local SHIELD offices are responding accordingly. Heroes and vigilantes across the city are fighting back, most notably Captain Marvel and Spider Woman, as well as the Fantastic Four. There is rampant destruction across the island, and the dead count has already past the thousand-mark."

Tony and Pepper froze in their movements, the news washing over them like a cold shower. In that moment, their moods were dampened. Realizing the impact of this news, Tony sighed as he rubbed his face. "Alright JARVIS, I hear you." Pepper got off him, both quickly getting up and dressing themselves before going to the windows. What they saw was horrifying.

"Oh God," Pepper muttered in horror. The streets below were ridden with destroyed cars, buses and taxies. Fire and smoke were roaring and stretching to the skies, with glowing circular shapes peppering the city. Building were getting trashed and people were running in panic and chaos. All the while, reptilian-like creatures were attacking left and right, coming out of the glowing shapes and attack everything and everyone they could, killing people left and right.

"JARVIS, get the Mk XVII activated and ready," Tony quickly said, his eyes wide in shock and horror. "Now!" He then turned to Pepper. "Pepper, I got to-"

"It's okay. Go save the world," Pepper replied with concern. "Just make sure you come back."

"I will, promise."

'Sir… the Stark Tower Armory is on complete lockdown,' JARVIS then said. 'All normal override protocols are unsuccessful.'

A chill went down Tony's spine. "JARVIS, what do you mean the Armory is on lockdown? All my armors are there! I need a suit, now!"

It was the longest two minutes in Tony's life before JARVIS again spoke. 'There are only two functioning armors outside the Armory. The damaged Mk VII that is under repairs after your last battle with the Crimson Dynamo, and the new untested Mk XX.'

The new Mk XX was Tony's best and latest armor yet; it would be his ideal choice for the situation. But the problem was that it was in his Malibu home, on the other side of the country. He quickly tried to calculate and review his options. "JARVIS, how fast can the Mk XX get here? And what is the status on the Mk VII?"

"Tony," Pepper quickly said, fear on her face. "You aren't seriously-!"

'Mk XX calculated ETA: roughly thirty minutes at approximately Mach 5 speed. The current Mk VII repair status is at 47%.'

Tony frowned it wasn't good then he looked down at the people been killed and made his decision. "Ok, launch the Mk XX, and activate the Mk VII. And find out what the hell is going on in my armory!"

A few moments later, a red and gold armor flew into the room, sparking and dented, damaged as JARVIS had mentioned. Despite his reservations, Tony knew that he had no choice right now. Pepper, however, was horrified at the thought of the billionaire going out in such a damaged suit. "Tony, please, you-!"

"Pepper, there are lives at stake down there! People are dying! I can't just sit here waiting for the Mk XX to arrive!"

"Tony the whole world doesn't have to rest on your shoulders. For once, be selfish and let SHIELD handle it!"

"I was selfish for too many years." The Mk VII opened up and Tony stepped inside. "I'll be back, Pepper, I promise! I love you!" And with that, the Invincible Iron Man flew outside and down towards the invasion below. However, at the moment, Tony Stark felt anything but invincible. "JARVIS, get me a systems update, now!"

'Main power is at 46%, with reserve power at 65%. Armor shields are at a low 40%; I recommend not taking any direct hits. The uni-beam is out of power, and the recharge sequence has been initiated. However, I strongly recommend not using it; with the Mk VII in its current condition, once fired, all armor systems will likely fail. All other weapons are empty.'

Tony cursed under his breath. "Keep me updated on the remaining power supply and the uni-beam charge. Same with the ETA on the Mk XX." Seeing the destruction before him, he added, "Where the hell are SHIELD in all this?!"

'The SHIELD stations within Manhattan have already responded accordingly, sir. The SHIELD Helicarrier, is currently over the Pacific Ocean, and will not be here for several more hours.'

"World's foremost security force at its finest," Tony muttered. As he flew, he began firing his repulsors at every demon he could, shooting left and right. The thrusters began failing momentarily before JARVIS quickly righted them, helping Tony avoid a demon's blow. "Anything on what made this all happen?!"

'I'm sensing an extremely large buildup of an unknown energy type within the area of Central Park, especially within its southern-central region. The energy matches rough analyses of the portal energy buildup. Captain Marvel and the SHIELD sanctioned superhero Spider Woman are currently nearing the vicinity, both currently in battle against the hordes. Sensors indicate they are heading towards the source of energy.'

"Maybe they know something about what's going on...alright, let's head to Central Park." With that, Iron Man veered towards Columbus Circle, shooting repulsor blasts at demons as he did so. His sensors soon began blinking red in warning, however, as power began failing in his thrusters once more. "JARVIS, start diverting more power to the thrusters!"

'Sir, I would strongly advise against such action,' JARVIS replied. 'Diverting power to the thrusters will increase speed and stability, but power levels will drop to 23% and flight will be imposs-"

"JARVIS, don't argue with me and just do it!"

Tony soon felt the surge of speed as he flew downwards towards a demon hacking away at a bus, charging his gauntlet covered fist with energy.

* * *

SHIELD Super Villain Prison No. 4: The Raft. Location: Bottom of East River. NY

1:59 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010

* * *

One of four prisons created by SHIELD to house and hold superhuman and mutant criminals, the Raft held some of the worst of the worst. The main prison complex was located at the bottom of the New York East River, with a refitted "decommissioned" cargo ship right above the prison, connected. All prisoners were tagged with a collar that delivered a paralyzing agent at the slightest hint of aggression. The walls were armed with automatic guns, and guards licensed to kill instead of capture walked the halls, armed with some of the best weaponry the agency could build and provide. Each corridor held several cells, all holding a plethora of supervillains notorious across the globe. Along one such corridor walked three people, two specialized SHIELD agents and a new transferred prisoner.

The first one was a stunningly attractive redheaded woman wearing a black latex-Kevlar body suit with twin guns strapped to her thighs. On her wrists were yellow and black stingers, each charged with electricity capable of delivering shocking blows. SHIELD Agent Natasha Romanov, also known as the Black Widow, carried a MP90 machine gun in her hands, loaded and partially pointed at the transferred prisoner.

The prisoner was a man notorious for his deadly skills and ruthlessness. Wearing a purple Kevlar suit with black and white fur shoulder pads, he also wore a purple mask with white eye lenses. On his neck was a collar, just like the rest of the prisoners. His hands were bound with specially designed SHIELD handcuffs, capable of delivering a five thousand volt charge into the nervous system. Baron Zemo was one of Hydra's high ranking and deadly members. He was currently glaring meticulously at the other agent escorting him.

This second agent was tall and muscular, well built. He wore a Kevlar and body armor suit stylized in the form of the American flag. A cowl rested on his head, and a large adamantium/vibranium shield was strapped to his wrist. The man was a symbol of liberty and freedom that fought for truth and justice. The sentinel of Liberty and hero of WWII, frozen in time for more than sixty years before being found on ice and awakened several years ago. Steve Rogers, known to the world as Captain America.

"You haven't won anything, Captain," Zemo suddenly said, casually at that. "In fact, you haven't even arrived at the battle field."

Captain America just scowled and shoved Zemo, making him stumble slightly before continuing to move forward; the man sure did love to talk. "Zemo, just admit it; you fought and you lost. Just like you lost the war."

"Oh, but Captain, who said the war was lost? We are still fighting; Hydra is still very much alive and here you are: a blast from the past ready to take us on again. No, my dear Captain; the war is still raging on. The only thing that has change are the toys."

"Would you shut up already?" Natasha said, driving the butt of her MP90 into his back. Zemo double over in pain from the strike. "Captain, you really need to pick less chatty enemies. Zemo, Zola, Von Strucker…"

Captain America shrugged before shoving Zemo forward, making him walk again. "They always talk; but in the end, justice prevails and they're where they belong. Behind bars...or a concentrated highly charged force field. You're right, Zemo, the toys are better. But in the end, you're the scum you always were."

Zemo remained calm as he again began walking. "But Captain, the games are just starting, and the past has an interesting way of catching up to us. Wouldn't you agreed, my dear?" he suddenly added, turning to the Russian agent. "I've read of your exploits in the past. How much water must one need to wash away all that blood…?"

Natasha remained emotionless at face value, while her rage flared inside her. Before she could put a bullet in Zemo's head, thought, they arrived at Zemo's designated cell. The Captain shoved the Hydra terrorist into it, not too gently at that, causing Zemo trip to fall onto the metal bed.

"Enjoy your stay, Zemo," Rogers said, glaring at the villain as the cell gates activated. "You'll be staying here for a long time." At that, both agents turned around and left, leaving the corridor and soon the prison complex. Zemo soon sat down crossed legged, smiling to himself under his mask.

"We will be seen each other much, much sooner than you can imagine, my good Captain."

On the elevator leading from the prison complex back to the cargo ship above, Steve and Natasha were silent. The super soldier pondered over Zemo's words in his mind, subtly turning to his Russian counterpart. She had been quiet since Zemo's comment, an emotionless look on her face and her emerald eyes narrowed. Steve knew that it had hit a nerve in her. He knew he should try to shake her from whatever thoughts she had in her mind. As a veteran leader, he knew when to give those under him time to themselves and when to distract them from what they faced.

"So are you going to Clint and Bobbi's wedding?"

Natasha looked up in surprised, shaken from her thoughts. She turned to her American counterpart, registering his words and soon gave a small smile. "That's if Clint finally found the 'right' ring." The two chuckled at that. "Although," she added, "at this point, I think it's Bobbi who will end up bending the knee." She gave him a small nod, grateful to Steve for distracting her from her thoughts.

They soon reached the top, the elevator bringing them to the cargo ship tower, refitted as a SHIELD command center, air tower and agents' quarters. To their surprise, alarms were blaring, agents rushing left and right. Steve quickly grabbed the arm of one. "What's going on, soldier?"

"We're getting data and transmissions from the Manhattan offices of an invasion. The warden and commanding officers are scrambling Raft defenses in case we get hit."

That shocked the two agents. "Where's the warden now?" Natasha asked.

"In the command center offices, coordinating with the guards." The agent rushed off to wherever she was going. The two specialized agents looked at each other in wariness before rushing off out of the tower onto the ship's deck. The deck, refitted and customized as an air deck, held several SHIELD transport and attack choppers, as well as the attack-transport jet they had arrived in. They rushed for it and headed up the ramp inside, where their three teammates were on video transmission with SHIELD Agent Coulson.

In the pilot seat was a dark haired man in his late twenties wearing a black Kevlar suit with dark purple linings, as well as fingerless gloves. Strapped to his back was a high tech quiver filled with high tech trick arrows and arrowheads, a modernized compound bow folded and strapped to the side. Standing next to him was a beautiful blonde woman in her mid-twenties wearing a blue and white Kevlar suit. Metallic gauntlets covered her lower arms and wrists, and she wore dark blue combat boots that went up to her knees. High tech white goggles with yellow lenses covered her eyes, with several displays on them. On her thighs, twin metallic escrima sticks were strapped: her trademark battle staves, ready to lay waste to her enemies.

"...Apocalyptic bad, literally," Coulson was saying as Steve and Natasha approached. "The creatures are nothing like we have on any data systems. We're calling them demons due to their appearances; they've already caused more than a few thousand casualties, and their attack only started a little more than twenty minutes ago. Our Manhattan offices are already responding and aiding the NYPD. Drew is already on scene, working with Captain Marvel. They're currently en route to Central Park; we believe the source of this attack is there. Your orders are to rendezvous with and join them in their efforts. Director Fury's currently in a meeting with the World Security Council, and Hill's in command for now."

The blonde woman sighed, crossing her arms. "Never a dull moment in our lives, huh Phil?

"What about heavy duty backup?" the man asked. "Like the US Army or SHIELD reinforcements?"

"We're in communication with the Pentagon and US Joint Chiefs, Barton. They're scrambling the National Guard, Army and Air Force as we speak. General Ross and several battalions of his HulkBusters were confirmed as present in lower Manhattan, providing security and guard detail for the trial of Bruce Banner today at the Manhattan Supreme Court building. They've been confirmed as engaging the enemy. The Helicarrier is too far away, but we're scrambling units from other bases on the continent."

"I assume this is about the invasion Natasha and I heard in the Raft command tower?" Steve said as he and Natasha entered. "The agents here are going crazy about it, prepping the Raft for attack."

"Right on the nail, Cap," the third member of the team replied, sitting in the co-pilot seat, allowed her fist to glow dangerously with bright yellow bioelectrical energy. She had dark short hair and wore a black Kevlar suit with a yellow design of a stinger going from her chest all the way to between her legs. On her back, small and thin openings allowed for transparent wings to grow from her back when she willed them. "So," she continued as she turned back to the screen, "basically, we're mostly on our own against invading armies of demons straight out of Hollywood, that we don't know anything about. How the hell are we supposed to fight something like this?"

"Same as we always do, Jan," the super soldier replied. "Never back down, and when they hit hard, we hit them back even harder. We're on it, Coulson."

"That's a copy, Captain," Coulson replied. "Reinforcements on their way. Good luck." With that, he signed off and Cap ordered Barton and Jan to get their jet to Manhattan. Within moments, they were in the air and rushed their jet towards the city, specifically towards Central Park. As they were above the burning and crumbling city, they lowered their jet to better see the chaos. Plumes of smoke and flames reached for them, and sirens could be heard, as could the screams of people and roars of the invading demons. The team was horrified at the sight below; the country hadn't ever seen an invasion of this scale before. Quickly, Jan activated the weapons systems and began unleashing hell, shooting the creatures best she could with machine guns and missiles.

Just ahead, a particularly large demon carrying made of hellfire rose from the streets, standing at a full 30 ft in height. It had seen the jet attacking its fellow demons and quickly jumped into the air, its sword in hand as it aimed for the jet.

"HOLY SHIT!" Barton yelled out, trying to swerve the jet out of the way. It was futile, however, as the demon struck and landed a powerful hit, slicing off one of the wings. The jet quickly began plummeting towards the ground, flames roaring from on the jet from the sword strike. "I can't control it, team!" Barton yelled out, struggling with the controls. "Brace yourselves for impact! We're going down!"

"No soldier," Rogers yelled out as he punched the launch ramp button, opening the rear ramp. "We're heading out! Hit fast and hit hard, team!" With that, he jumped out shield first. The other members didn't even react as most people would. The woman in the co-pilot seat simply shrunk herself to minute size, fists glowing and insectoid-like wings sprouting from her back, and quickly flew off after him.

"At least we're not far from Central Park," Natasha offered as she readied her MP90.

"Old man really knows how to make an entrance," Barton joked as he readies his bow. With that, he and the rest of the team jumped out of the burning jets, moments before it crashed into a nearby building with a powerful explosion. The specialized agents landed with skill and grace, using vehicles and even some of the demons to land. They landed weapons ready, seeing Cap and Jan already engaged with the demons, delivering powerful blows. The other three soon joined in weapons blazing and skillsets on full display, fighting back against the demons and giving people chances to escape the carnage.

Agent Natasha Romanov, codename: Black Widow

Agent Clint Barton, codename: Hawkeye

Agent Barbara 'Bobbi' Morse, codename: Mockingbird

Agent Janet Van Dyne, codename: Wasp.

Steve Rogers, Captain America. The world's first superhero.

Secret Warriors.

The five agents fought their way to Central Park, striking down demon after demon. The air was filled with the vicious roars and screams of the demons, as they were hit fast and hard, mixed with the sounds of gunfire, explosions, energy bursts and impacts. Handfuls of demons collapsed as the Warriors brutally fought their way ahead and closer towards their objective target.

"So, are we sure we're actually killing these things?!" Wasp yelled out, zooming and zigzagging as she flew above and around the demons. Her stinger blasts were working overtime as she fired left and right, making the demons roar in rage and pain.

"Looks like it," Hawkeye called back with a shrug. He fired two explosive arrows and a leaping pair of demons, hitting both in the chest. Both were consumed in the explosions, sending demon flesh and blood flying in all directions. "Ok, yeah it definitely looks like it!"

Widow happened to be right in the radius of the blood splatter, and was drenched in a good amount of demon blood. "Yeah, definitely feels like it," the Russian muttered, shaking the liquid off her as she continued firing.

"Heads up, team, we have incoming!" Captain America called out, looking back in the direction they had come from. They all could see the 35ft demon that had attacked their jet coming around the corner two blocks away. It saw the five of them and unleashed an unearthly and bestial roar, brandishing its flaming sword and lumbering towards them, crushing anything under its foot.

"Hold on, I got this!" Wasp began to say. Before she could actually do anything, though, the demon roared as barrage of energy blasts struck it from behind, making it stumble slightly. Something then struck the demon's skull in full force, sending the large titan crashing down towards the streets.

"Scramble!" Natasha yelled out as she, the other Warriors and even other demons rushed to get out of the way. The large demon landed with a thunderous boom on the streets, its sword still flaming as it clattered loudly onto a nearby bus, cutting it in two.

Landing with a powerful thud onto the now struggling demon, who was trying to get up, was a battered and damaged Iron Man. "JARVIS, put more power into the repulsors!" he yelled out as his gauntlets began glowing with power. A second later, the familiar whining of ARC energy rang out as Iron Man fired his repulsors at point blank range at the demon's head. It roared in rage and agony at the hit, and with a piercing white light appearing, its skull exploded in flames and blood and flesh.

'Power levels at 20%,' JARVIS said. 'I did mention that using the thrusters at such-'

"I know, JARVIS," Stark interrupted as he again took to the skies, albeit shakily and with some instability. Turning to the Warriors, particularly to Captain America, he continued, "Captain, you come to town and don't come by to say hi? Don't call, don't write or anything? Now that's rude, Gramps; I'm hurt."

"What the hell happened to you, Tony?" Steve replied, flinging his shield at several demons at his flanks. After meeting the billionaire superhero since waking up, Steve knew that Tony prided himself in his high tech armors. Yet the one he wore looked like it had been through hell, as if he had been through a war zone. Tony was definitely a smart yet crazy man, but Steve didn't think even he was crazy enough to fight in such a badly damaged suit.

"Yeah, Stark," Clint added, shooting a boxing glove arrow at another demon. "You having wardrobe issues?"

"Still playing with sticks, Legolas?" Tony countered with a roll of his eyes under his helmet. He shot a repulsor beam at two demons attempting to take Cap and Hawkeye from behind. "You're welcome, by the way. Something's up with my armory; this was the only suit immediately available. I have another one coming in from the West Coast. It should be here in another twenty minutes."

"If you can last that long, Stark," Romanov replied.

"Here's hoping."

"Stick with us," Cap called out, ramming his shield into a demon's face. "We're heading to Central Park to rendezvous with another one of our team. She and one of the local superheroes have a bead on the source of this invasion. We could use all the help we can get."

"Just heading there now, actually," Stark replied. "I got sensors on Captain Marvel and Spider Woman heading towards what looks like an energy source to all this."

"Better hurry up and get our asses over there, team!" Mockingbird called out. "Those girls are going to need us, if any of this is any indication!" She began running ahead, staves striking any demons coming close to her. She was followed by Hawkeye, and soon the rest, with Stark flying above them, his flight thrusters fluctuating here and there. The six heroes worked in unison in fighting the demons, Stark providing aerial support as the Warriors hit hard and fast, dealing hard blows to the demons while getting as many civilians out of the way as they could.

The sounds of explosions a few blocks ahead echoed violently, with echoing screams of power also following. The sounds of pulsating energy bursts and impacts rang out, with piercing yellow lights shining up ahead as well. Roars and shrieks of demons were mixed alongside the sounds as well, sounding fearful.

"Well, Danvers sure seems to be having fun," Barton mused. "Must help to be one of the most powerful superhumans on the planet."

"Jealous?" Bobbi smirked.

"I wouldn't say no to that kind of power, no."

The heroes soon arrived at the Columbus Circle entrance to Central, welcomed by the sight of hordes of demons, the bodies of dead and mauled humans, and the burning forms of trees and plants. There were also demon bodies lying around as well, along with craters of various sizes in the ground from impacts and scorch marks.

More than a dozen meters away, Captain Marvel and Spider Woman were right in the thick of it. Carol's punches echoing out as she fought the demons viciously. Her mastery of unarmed, close quarters and hand to hand combat was on full display. She also continuously shot out bursts of photonic energy, sending the demons flying. Her eyes were glowing vibrantly as she fought the hordes. Jessica, meanwhile, weaved in and out of the hordes, venom blasts and SHIELD training on full display. It seemed that the demons were paying particularly close attention to her. While this definitely helped Carol, it irritated Jess. Despite the number against them, the two heroines didn't relent but instead simply fought even harder.

"They're getting overrun!" Captain America called out as he charged into the hordes. "Let's get over there!" The Warriors quickly jumped into the fray, striking and hitting any demons they could. Iron Man landed amongst the

"There's too many of these things to fight through, Cap!" Mockingbird replied

"Then let's that down to size!" Tony yelled out as he landed, quickly coming up a plan that, with the current state of his armor, was suicidal. "JARVIS, divert as much power to the uni-beam as we can afford!"

'Sir, at our current levels-'

"Then tap into the reserves! Just give me the uni-beam!" After several moments, the uni-beam began glowing vibrantly on Iron Man's chest. "Everyone, get down!"

At that, the Warriors quickly ducked down into the ground. Captain Marvel and Spider Woman heard the billionaire's screams, turning just in time to see Iron Man launching a devastating uni-beam blast. the two heroines quickly flew into the skies to avoid being hit. Within a second, Stark unleashed his uni-beam, a massive and powerful blast of energy shooting from his chest into the demon hordes. Immediately, many were vaporized while many more sent flying back several dozen meters. Stark managed to continue the burst for almost ten seconds before it fizzled out on its own. Stark almost stumbled, managing to catch himself before collapsing onto his knees.

'Armor power levels now down to 17%,' JARVIS said. 'Rerouting remaining emergency reserve power levels to main power. Reserve power now at 30.332%. Sir, I strongly recommend diverting all remaining power to shields and repulsors until the Mk XX gets here.'

"Don't tell me, just do it."

Captain Marvel landed with a powerful thud by the arriving heroes, Spider Woman following moments after. "About time you guys finally showed up," the British agent said. "This hasn't exactly been easy, fighting off an invasion with just the two of us."

"Speak for yourself," Carol replied, fists glowing. "I could do this all day. She's just upset the creatures won't leave her alone or stop going after her because of her pheromones."

"There's that too, yeah."

"Any luck on locating the source of the invasion, Drew?" Steve asked.

"We've been kind of busy kicking ass, Captain, in case you didn't notice," Jess smirked. "Too many of the demons the closer we got, but that just means that we're on the right track."

"Alright. Good work holding down the fort, Drew; same to you, Captain Marvel. As of now, this is a team effort." The screams of demons began ringing out again as more hordes began amassing and coming from across the park. The heroes got into a defensive circle, ready to fight.

"Don't worry, Cap," Jess replied. "With Captain Marvel on our side, I can't see us losing. I should introduce you two; she's military, like you."

"That so?"

"Proud veteran of the Air Force, Captain," Carol replied, fists glowing as she glared at her best friend. "Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel, formerly Ms. Marvel."

"Good to know; we can get formally acquainted after we stop the world from ending." The demons charged at the heroes, roaring and brandishing their methods. "We need to get to the source of this. Iron Man, Captain Marvel and Wasp: get airborne and head further into the park. Find whatever the source is and try to shut it down. Widow, Hawkeye, Mockingbird and Spider Woman are with me. We will clear some of these demons and join the others as soon as we can."

"My suit is too badly damaged," Stark replied with a shake of his head. "I'm grounded until my new suit arrives."

"Alright; Drew, take Stark's place."

With everyone clear with the plan, the three flying heroines quickly raced off into the skies as the demon hordes attacked. While they headed off deeper into Central Park, the rest engaged the oncoming monsters.

Hawkeye continuously shot arrows, one after the other, while Bobbi covered his back, her staves connected into a bo staff. Natasha ran up to a demon, jumping on its back and emptying her MP90 into its skull, using the inner rage from Zemo earlier as fuel. Utilizing her Red Room and SHIELD training, she jumped with extreme agility, striking as many demons as she could. Tony and Steve were mowing down demons, Steve using his shield to bash demon's skulls and Tony firing his repulsor blasts. Slowly but surely, the heroes were gaining footing, but the demons were too much. Tony saw how the demons were circling them, and once they put them all in a nice tight circle, they were goners.

"Captain, shield up!"

Steve didn't have time to think, simply reacting as he knelt down with his shield over his head. Tony ran at him and jumped, charging his fist with three quarters of the energy he had left. With a yell, he slammed it into Steve's shield, sending a wave of repulsor energy around them knocking the demons back.

'Armor power down to 6%, with reserve power at 23.8%,' JARVIS said. 'Calculated ETA for the Mk XX, ten minutes.'

Tony's chest felt heavy, and he began panting heavily within his armor, almost falling to his knees. The lack of efficient power and the intensity of the fight was putting a lot of stress on his heart and his chestpiece. He looked around as a demon grabbed Captain America by the arm and slammed him into a nearby car. Clint and Bobbi were beating down demon after demon with their arrows and staff. Natasha continued shooting at the demons, her gun bursting nonstop.

"JARVIS, I don't care how, but get my suit here now!" he yelled out as he began rapid firing his repulsors again.

Further into Central park, Blackheart and Mephista had just finished piling the bodies of five virgins they had captured amongst the fleeing humans in a pentagram. Using their blood, they had also created a circle connecting the bodies. In the center of the circle, the hearts of the five virgins sat in another smaller pentagram, their offering to the Haarzareth.

"Now, brother," Mephista laughed. "Start the chant and we will bring this mortals to their knees. Father will rejoice in our success!"

Blackheart kept his face neutral as he nodded, but inside, he couldn't care less if his father was happy or not. The old man's days were numbered; soon, he would have the power he needed to send the old fool to his grave. For now, though, he would play the dutiful son, and thus began the chant. As they began to chant, however, Captain Marvel, Spider Woman and Wasp flew onto the scene. Upon fully registering what was before them, they were utterly horrified at the sight of the butchered bodies of some fifteen year olds.

Carol then landed with a thud, her fists glowing brightly, Jess and Jan remaining airborne with their own fists. "I guess we found the source," Jess said.

"No shit," Jan replied with disgust.

Mephista then turned, hearing them while chanting simultaneously. Blackheart kept chanting, paying them no mind whatsoever.

"Hey, you sick bastards!" Carol yelled at them with a face of disgust and anger. "Get out of the circle and surrender!"

Mephista knew her brother couldn't stop the chant, or the Haarzareth wouldn't be able to cross over. She stop chanting, letting her brother take the bulk of the spell. Stepping out of the pentagram circle, she transformed into her preferred and true form, sneering with deadly intention at the three heroines.

"Bring it bitch," she replied, daring them to attack.

* * *

The Arena of Tainted Souls. Fiery Nether Realm, Hell.

* * *

Mephisto laughed triumphantly from his seat in the arena. In his hand was a viewing cloud of smoke and he loved the view he was getting. His demons slaughtered humans and mortals by the scores, sending their souls straight to his realm. As the souls entered his domain, they were sent to different torture chambers under his control. But the bulk of the souls came to his arena to fight for all eternity.

He sipped a glass of wine and looked at the center of the arena at someone within the arena in particular, a soul who was now his most prized possession.

In the middle of the arena, a man in his early thirties was chained by his arms and legs between two posts, eagle-spread. His whole body bore a collection of scars from whips, claws and hellfire burn marks. He had short reddish-blonde hair, and he was the sworn enemy of Mephisto.

Mephisto teleported himself, standing in front of the man and smiled deviously. "Would you care for some wine, Johnny? It's from my private stock."

Johnny Blaze looked at Mephisto with hatred in his eyes. "Fuck you, and the goat you spawn from."

Mephisto simply laughed and caressed Johnny's face. "So defiant, even after all these years in my realm. You must get that from Zarathos. Tell me, how is my old friend in there? Is he having fun, seeing so many innocents killed?"

Johnny screamed in outrage and anger. His body started the transformation into the Spirit of Vengeance. However, as it did every time he tried, the chains around his wrist and ankles started glowing bright red, burning him with hell fire. Not only did this cause excruciating pain to Johnny, it also served to stop Zarathos from giving Johnny his powers.

"Now, Johnny, be a good boy and enjoy the festivities," Mephisto chuckled as he teleported back to his throne, just as a few hundred souls appeared in the arena, materializing and screaming in pain. "It's soon for you to fight again...and there are so many new challengers for you to face."

Johnny could only glare with hatred at the laughing devil-lord. For decades, ever since Johnny had been captured by Mephisto for him and Zarathos renegading on his deal of servitude, he had fought demons and other souls here in this arena. If Johnny didn't win in combat against these souls, he would be subjected to the worse kinds of torture possible. For decades, Johnny Blaze had been forced to submit to Mephisto's will, but he still retained a slight shred, a sliver of hope. Within himself, Zarathos rage into insanity with the desire to avenge those who had died. That was Johnny's sliver of hope, that one day they would be free and Zarathos would help him deliver vengeance.

For now, however, all he could do was watch as thousands of innocents died at the hands of Mephisto's demons. All he could do was watch as their souls were sent to Mephisto's Hell for eternal torture and punishment.

All he could do was memorize every face he could, and every cry for help.

For one day, the Ghost Rider would again ride free.

And all who had been lost unto Mephisto, they would one day be avenged.

* * *

Civic Center District. Lower Manhattan, NY

2:26 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010

* * *

"Seriously, are you guys the opening act for ComicCon this year?" Peter quipped as he rammed his foot into the back of a demon. Normally, he held back his strength to keep from really hurting whoever he fought, even his enemies. But with the brutality, bloodthirsty and destructiveness that these creatures displayed, and how they were laying waste to Manhattan and killing everyone they touched, Peter couldn't afford to do so now.

The roars of demons surrounded his as Spider-Man continued to web and punch his way through the demonic hell hordes, his Spider Sense working overtime as he tried to get as many people has he could away from the monsters and fighting said monsters.

"I know! You want to audition for that new Dragonforce music video!" Peter quickly shot some webbing at several of the demons' eyes. "Maybe you should try for Imagine Dragon instead. I don't think you have the right look for Dragonforce."

Peter soon found himself in Foley Square, and he was surprised at what he saw. There were several battalions of US HulkBuster soldiers, and many police officers and SWAT fighting and shooting the demonic hell hordes. Bodies of civilians littered the floor, and many police cars and SWAT trucks were up in flames. The HulkBusters and NYPD were trying their hardest to fight off the demons, trying to get as many civilians as possible into the large NYS Supreme Courthouse building to protect them. Several of the soldiers and officers were already on the ground dead. Peter remembered that the trial of the century, over the Incredible Hulk, was happening today, hence the heavy military presence.

Peter saw three HulkBuster soldiers about to be squashed like bugs, as they were trying to get some civilians safely into the courthouse. Using his agility and the last of his current web fluid, he swung down and grabbed the three soldiers by their backs, one by his pants, giving him an accidental wedgie. The soldiers yelped in shock Peter swung them on top of the court house.

"Whoa...thanks, Spider-Man," one of the HB soldiers said.

"No worries," Peter replied as he quickly replaced his web cartridges. "And on the plus side, you have some good shots to take from up here, too." With that, Peter jumped back into the chaotic fray, joining the HulkBusters and police in fighting off the demonic hordes. While not vocalizing any gratitude, the soldiers and cops were very glad that the vigilante was helping them hold their ground. The Webhead fought as hard as he could, shooting webbing left and right, getting in close with the demons when he had to. Working together with the police and HulkBusters, Peter defended the courthouse and the civilians within from the demons.

The courthouse…

A jolting thought then came to Peter's mind: if the HulkBusters were still here, as they were supposed to for the trial earlier today, then that meant…

A loud explosion then rocked the area. A few very large demons had charged the side of the courthouse, breaking the stone walls and crashing into the building. Screams were heard from inside, as well as the yells of soldier and cops that the perimeter had been breached. Gunfire quickly began echoing from within as several cops and soldier rushed into defend the civilians. Peter quickly webbed his way over to the huge gaping wall in the courthouse's side, only to see more demons charging towards the now open courthouse. The human defense forces tried their hardest to hold them back. Roars echoing from within and outside, the Webhead quickly-

"RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGHHHHH!"

Silence immediately fell over the immediate area, the soldier and police, and even the demons shocked by the bestial roar that had just rang out. It was a roar of rage and of anger, made by a being that was fueled by rage and anger, a being who was most arguably the most powerful being on the planet. The Amazing Spider-Man recognized the roar, knowing who it belonged to. He had fought him only once before, and had only narrowly escaped with his life. It was one of the toughest battles he had ever fought.

"Oh, no."

Another roar, this one even louder than the one before, followed by devastatingly powerful blow impacts, the sound echoing across for miles.

"Now you did it, you overgrown Disney lizards," Peter said as he landed near the courthouse, facing the demons. "You made him angry."

At that, the three demons that had crashed into the courthouse flew out of it and into a building several blocks away, all three bloody and bruised. As they did so, one final roar echoed out, but this one now was a roaring cry.

"HULK SMASH!"

* * *

Hello, guys. Harlequin K here, and another chapter has come and gone. And what a ride; things have seriously gone to hell now. Our heroes are fighting with everything they have but it just isn't enough. I loved writing this chapter for you guys and I hope you enjoy it. And if you look very carefully, the founding roster has already been shown. If you can spot all of them, I will answer 3 questions full of spoilers about this story.

ChrisZillas18: yes, this will be a Peter and Carol pairing story because I'm a huge fan of those. I'm sure this chapter answers your other question, as our favorite Web Slinger is here. As for the cameo, heh heh, my lips are sealed on that one.

There will be plenty of action and romance in this story. It's a massive story, with several arcs. So please read, enjoy and leave Reviews. I will answer all questions and accept all reviews. All questions please leave them in a review and I will answer all of them.

A shout out to my friends Reborn Dark Phoenix and Dakkaman777, who are phenomenal and amazing writers. If you love Peter and Carol Stories go read their stories.

Harlequin K


	3. Some Assembly Required Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

* * *

 _ **Arena of Tainted Souls.**_

 _ **Fiery Nether Realm, Hell.**_

* * *

A sickening crack echoed across the arena. With grunting wince of pain, Johnny Blaze turned away from the cloud of flames several meters above, where the chaos and devastation unleashed upon humanity from the hands of Mephisto's hordes was visible for the demon lord's pleasure. The human returned his gaze, one of suppressed rage, back to his torturer, who held a bone whip in his hands. The demonic being sneered as he readied to strike again; for every time Blaze looked away, he was to be struck by the bone whip again and again. His black was a bloody mess, ripped and shredded, with small chunks of flesh dangling from the scars from the whip strikes.

Within his being, Zarathos wailed in agony and burning rage, desperately trying to come out and deal hellspawned vengeance. However, the shackles on Johnny's body kept the demon contained, from giving Johnny its powers while causing him unimaginable pain.

Johnny scoffed internally; he couldn't remember when his body wasn't ever not in pain. After spending decades in Mephisto's "tender" care, pain had all but become his best friend. But even with all that he felt physically after all this time, he still felt the deep pain within his heart, caused by the woman who had unwittingly carved it all those years ago….

 _ ***Flashback, years ago. Mid 1970s.***_

It had been a long intense battle that lasted three nights in the Nevada desert, culminating after an intense hunt of supernatural proportions. Mephisto had send a trio of demons to hunt the Ghost Rider down, leaving a trail of bodies and devastation in their wake. In a twist of the hunt, Ghost Rider had flipped everything against the three demons, leading to a devastating fight in the heart of Las Vegas on a Tuesday evening in the mid 1970s.

The site of battle was chaotic at best, civilians and reporters running in all directions as the Ghost Rider waged near-literal war against the demonic entities. Destruction echoed across streets and entire blocks, with cars destroyed and people killed, courtesy of Mephisto's hunters. After brutal exchanges of power and strength, the Ghost Rider eventually overcame the three demons, slaughtering the final demon with a particularly nasty blast of hellfire. Ghost Rider had stood victorious, but the battle had taken a heavy toll due to how much energy was needed, making him collapse onto his knees. His mission was accomplished, however; his vengeance had been carried out, answering the blood shed by those killed the demons. And so, he set himself to rest.

Right there, in front of the masses of shocked civilians, police and reporters, the flaming form of the Ghost Rider disappeared in a surge of hellfire. In his place stood the biker-outfitted form of Jonathan Blaze.

Panting, he saw the shocked looks of all those around him. What stood out most, though, was the shocked, horrified and almost betrayed expression of his wife Roxanne, lead reporter of Channel 12 News Network. Their eyes met for only seconds before Roxanne disappeared into the crowd, but not before Johnny managed to catch the glimpse of tears in her eyes.

Hours later, Johnny finally returned back to their apartment. He had initially wanted to go after Roxanne, but after what happened, Johnny felt that she needed some time to collect herself after what she had seen. He had kept this secret from her for so long; he wanted to at least have the chance to explain himself. Unfortunately, he never had the chance; as soon as he entered the apartment, Johnny was immediately struck by two demons disguised as humans. Each armed with supernatural weaponry on their knuckles, they quickly overwhelmed the exhausted and stressed human.

Johnny crashed into the floor, bruised and bleeded. Utterly dazed by the blitz attack, the two demons quickly placed shackles on his arms and legs, each inscribed with an unknown and ancient language.

Within Johnny's being, the spirit of Zarathos roared as he made to summon himself and lay waste to these demons foolish enough to dare to ambush them. The transformation was brutally halted, though, as the shackles began glowing and searing Johnny's body with hellspawned pain, forcing Zarathos in containment. Johnny's screams echoed through the apartment from the pain.

The sounds of footsteps made Johnny raise his head in wincing pain, and he was welcomed by the sight of an elderly priest in black robe attire and a silver cross around his neck, a metal cane in his hand. His glowing eyes, however, quickly betrayed his appearance for the disguise that it was, Johnny quickly realizing that this was Mephisto in disguise. Then, to Johnny's shock and horror, someone else came over beside the disguised demon: Roxanne. Her face was contorted in a mixture of fear, betrayal, shock, sadness...and hatred. No longer was there any love in them.

"Zarathos…" Mephisto said with a smirk. "My, it's been awhile. Your reign of terror is over." The other two disguised demons quickly grabbed Johnny and pulled him to his feet, the biker hero gasping and wincing in pain. The demonic overlord then turned to Roxanne. "Thank you so much, Ms. Blaze; the Vatican and the Church appreciate your support in the capture of this dangerous fiend."

Roxanne was silent for a few moments, her eyes never leaving Johnny's shocked and pained expression. She finally answered, "You don't have to thank me, Father; I did what I had to." Her voice was slightly cracked, evidence of her crying. " I just can't believe he...it lied to me all these years...How could I've been so foolish, all these years and that...that thing..." She stopped speaking, shuddering to herself as she rubbed her arm, like she were rubbing some filth away that only she could see.

With masterfully deceitful warmth, priest Mephisto smiled as he softly caressed her back. "Don't worry my dear; it's not your fault. Demons like him, especially of his kind, they lie and cheat. Unfortunately, it is most likely that the boy you knew as Johnny died years ago, and that Zarathos has been taking his shape all this time. It's a common ploy among demons; you are not the first to fall for such deception. But now, thanks to you, the Church can at last finally banish this demon from the face of the Earth."

Devastation and rage burned within Johnny. To his horror, Roxanne was believing every lie that Mephisto was throwing at her. Zarathos burned within him in desperation, desiring to fight Mephisto, but the shackles kept the Rider from taking form. In a last bid of desperate hope, Johnny turned back to Roxanne; he knew that she was of no use to Mephisto anymore, and he was afraid of what would happen to her. He knew quite well what was waiting for his wife. He had to try and save her, get her away from here, from Mephisto!

"Roxy, please, it's me! It's Johnny! Don't believe this bastard's lies; he's tricking you! It's really me! Who saved you from that vicious poodle when we were six?! Who took a beating from your dad because we snuck out to the movies?!"

"He lies, my dear," Mephisto retorted, turning to Roxanne. "All his kind know is deceit and betrayal. He's trying to manipulate you, turn your experiences with him against you. Don't let him get to you.

"Shut up, you filthy bastard!" Johnny roared, struggling in the demons' grips. "Baby, please, you know me! You've trusted me, you know it's really me! Roxanne!"

"Shut up," Roxanne snapped back, tears pouring out of her eyes, cringing at his words. Betrayal, hatred and pain rang from her voice; she could barely bring herself to look at Johnny. "You lied to me all these years...pretending to be my husband...all those nights we...we-you disgust me, you filthy monster."

"Roxy, please, you can't believe that! Let me explain! It's not what you think-!" Johnny didn't finish as something hard struck his face. To his disbelief and horror, Roxanne had ripped her wedding ring from her finger and thrown it right at his face. It was in that moment that Johnny finally realized that her mind wouldn't be changed. She was fully bought into Mephisto's lies, and turned completely against.

"Roxanne...please…"

"You sick bastard…" came the muttered, disgusted and tearful response.

The tension was suddenly broken by a sinister cackling that rang through the air. All eyes turned to the priest, and Roxanne was shocked by his glowing eyes; she hadn't noticed those before. Mephisto cackled as he returned to his true demonic form in a burst of hellfire and sulfur. Roxanne's eyes widened in horror at the sight before her. Before she could even react, however, Mephisto quickly pierced the woman's heart with the cane. Roxanne Blaze gurgled her last breath, blood oozing from her wounds and lips, dying right there before Johnny.

It took several moments for Johnny to realize that the new sound in the apartment was his own screaming.

"MEPHISTO, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" The stuntman yelled in rage and hatred, pain and agony. He viciously tried to break free of the grips of the other two demons, watching as Roxanne's body collapsed onto the now bloodstained floor. His efforts were useless, though, as the demons easily subdued and pummeled the thrashing man. Mephisto laughed with guile as he grabbed him by the hair and forced him to look as he took the two glowing white wisps of energy that flew out of Roxanne. Catching them, Mephisto slowly and savoringly devoured them.

"Oh, Johnny," Mephisto chuckled as he matched Johnny's glare of hatred. "You don't know the plans I have in store for you, as well as for our old dear friend. I can hear him now, screaming inside you. Quite angry, I imagine, though nowhere near what you must be feeling right now." Mephisto chuckled again. "Don't worry, my boy, I'll treasure her forever. I always keep delicious souls close to me; they're at their best just after death, especially the unborn."

At that, Johnny's glare abruptly changed. "W-what?"

Oh!" Mephisto replied in mock realization, seeing the frozen look of shock on Johnny's face at his words. "Wait, you didn't know that she was pregnant? Guess that was going to be a surprise…"

 _ ***Flashback Ends***_

Mephisto's laughter from that night was burned into Johnny's mind since that moment, when his own hell had begun. It wasn't when Mephisto began his torture; it had begun when the bastard turned his now dead wife against him. For more than 30 years, the torture at Mephisto's hands didn't compare at all to his manipulations of his wife at her most vulnerable.

Chancing a glance back to Mephisto's viewing clouds, Johnny Blaze could see a number of Earth's heroes fighting their hardest against the forces of Hell. Heroes of an era he was unfamiliar with; not that it mattered, really. What did matter was that they were slowly losing ground to Mephisto's hosts.

* * *

 ** _Haarzareth Ritual Site. Central Park, Manhattan, NY_**

 ** _2:35 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010_**

* * *

 _ **KAPOWWW!**_

 _ **FRABOOOOMMM!**_

Captain Marvel landed several dozen feet away from the site, crashing into the grass and dirt heavily with a resonating boom. The blow she had just received had been one unlike most she had ever felt, as if she had been struck by the Hulk or something of similar power. The breath had actually been hit out of her.

At the ritual site, Spider Woman and Wasp were both shooting their bio-electric blasts from their positions in the air. Mephista easily dodged Jess and Jan's strikes, shooting back with hellfire blasts. Seeing what the red-skinned female had done to one of the world's most powerful superhumans, the two SHIELD agents weren't too keen on close combat unless necessary.

It appeared as if that plan wasn't going to work, though. Mephista quickly took flight, her black wings pounding the air as she raced right for the two heroines. Swearing, Jess raced to meet her head on, both fists glowing with energy. Mephista caught her off guard, however, teleporting right behind the British agent and slamming her foot into her back. Jess was sent crashing into the ground, screaming in extreme pain. Jan quickly started shooting her own blasts, causing Mephista to curse angrily. Unable to fully see where the miniscule heroine was, the demonic entity simply sent a surge of hellfire in the general direction of where the bio-stings were coming from. Jan was forced to duck to the ground, returning herself to full size. Her fists pulsated with energy as Mephista readied to attack again.

"You weak, pathetic, mortal creatures," Mephista snarled. "All of your kind disgust me. You really think you have a chance against me?! The only place for your kind is under my heel, like the insects that you are, ready to be squashed whenever we feel like it."

"I feel like I should take offense to that," Jan replied. Before Mephista could react, she was sent staggering forward as Spider Woman rammed into her. Wasp quickly shot her bio-electric blasts, catching Mephista in the face as Jess shot her own blasts right after before she again bumrushed the demonic entity and threw her into a nearby tree.

"I feel left out, personally," Jess retorted as she landed next to Jan. "The proper term for my kind is arachnid; we're not all insects." Her fists began glowing again as she turned back to Mephista. "Now be a dear, red and ugly, and stay down."

Mephista growled like an enrage animal as blood started dripping from her nose. Her eyes began burning, literally as flames began . "You wretched creature! How dare you touch-?!"

 _ **FRABOOOOOMMM!**_

Mephista was send flying through one of the famous Central Park boulders, crashing through it, more and several trees until she landed in one of the park's lakes with a powerful crash. Captain Marvel had returned to the scene, paying her opponent in full for the blow she had gotten earlier.. Her eye glowing through the lens of her cowl, she then turned towards the actual ritual, where Blackheart continued performing the ritual, chanting in a language unfamiliar to her, the blood circle at his feet now glowing a vibrant green. Jess and Jan followed her gaze, all three women tense.

"Anyone knows what's going on with him?" Janet said, ready to act at any notice. Before the other two could reply, though, Blackheart's chants started getting louder, shouting with high intensity. The circle suddenly burst into violent purple flames. "Ok...that looks bad."

A sudden roar rang out, low but powerful and rumbling...coming from the flaming circle. The ritual site began glowing even more, and to the shock of the three superpowered woman, a gargantuan red hand began emerging from the circle.

"...That looks worse," Carol added. After a moment, she made her decision, her fists glowing. "Take him down, now! Keep him from finishing whatever he's doing!"

The three superhumans immediately shot forth their energy blasts, flying right for him. Unfortunately, before they could land any blows, though, another blast appeared seemingly out of nowhere, hitting theirs and exploding violently. Mephista had teleported back onto the scene. Her eyes glowed both with rage and literal flames.

"The hell did she come from?!" Jan exclaimed.

"You think you can stop the ritual?" Mephista sneered. With a yell of power, she shot forth two blasts of hellfire and energy from her hands. Before the three women could react, Jess and Jan were struck. They were sent crashing into the ground several feet away, screaming in pain, their uniforms burnt. Carol then turned her own photon blasts on Mephista, who met them with powerful optic blasts of pure hellfire. The two blasts collided violently with an explosive impact. Carol was sent flying back several feet from the shockwaves; she made to ascend to fire more photon blasts, but Mephista beat her to the punch, zooming through the smoke and bum-rushing the human-Kree hybrid, slamming her into the ground.

While one of the most powerful superhumans on Earth, the power behind the attack was immense. Carol yelled out in pain, dazed. Mephista then willed a hellfire sword into existence in her hand. She yelled as she made to strike the heroine, but never got the chance.

"AAAARRGGHHH!

The two turned towards the sound of the scream, seemingly coming out of nowhere. A red and blue blur, at astonishing speeds, was hurtling towards them in a ball of dust, smoke and flames; Carol could just barely make out the shape of a human. The blur slammed into Mephista, both now hurtling off like a bullet...

...heading right for Blackheart. Who, still chanting his spell, suddenly noticed the projectile hurtling towards him.

* * *

 _ **New York City Near Central Park.**_

 _ **2:35 PM EST, Wed 23 August 2010**_

* * *

Central Park was, putting it mildly, a warzone. Explosions and screams echoed from the city, fire and smoke reaching for the skies.

Hawkeye's sight was all over the place as he shot arrows left and right. It was all he could do to keep the demons off his back, and the backs of his teammates. Clint was currently back to back with Bobbi, both in vicious combat with the reptilian demons. He could easily see his fiance fighting the creatures as best she could, with Captain America and Romanova in his peripheral vision, in vicious combat with several other creatures. Iron Man, meanwhile, was shooting repulsor blasts left and right, hitting anything in sight that was trying to kill them all.

All four SHIELD agents could easily see Stark's condition deteriorating with every second. His repulsor blasts were visibly getting weaker with each blast, and Stark stumbled more often than not. His armor crackled, his chest arc blinking and dimming rapidly.

Mockingbird, relentless in her offense, kept dishing out as many blows as she could with her battles staves. Her brutal close quarters combat skills on full display, she held nothing back as she focused solely on her enemies, trusting her fiance's skills as he fought behind her. That same trust waived somewhat as Bobbi heard Clint's laughter. Taken by surprise, she did a somersault and smashed another demon in the face before turning to Clint.

"Babe, are you feeling okay?" she called out to him. He wasn't losing his mind out here, was he?

"Sure," Clint responded, firing off another arrow. "I just had a pretty random thought, is all."

Bobbi smirked as she avoided another demon's axe swing. "I always say those are bad for you."

"Here we are, you and me; super secret agents, working with an honest to God veteran from WWII who's also the world's first superhero. Not to mention the world's best engineer, who probably has the world's greatest weapon, and beings with alien powers. All of us, fighting demons, and all I have is a bow and arrow."

"Don't worry," Bobbi replied with a smirk. "You look hot doing it." As she struck another demon with her staves, she didn't see another making to slam its club on her. Luckily, Hawkeye quickly shot an adamantium-tipped arrow at its head, striking it dead. Before he could do anything else, though, another demon slammed into Clint. With a roar, it grabbed his shooting arm and easily crushed it with several sickening cracks, enticing screams of pain from the archer.

"Clint!" Bobbi screamed. Instinct taking over, she ran at full speed and stabbed her staves into the monster's eyes. Yelling in rage, she rammed her weapons deeper into its skull, until it stopped moving moments later. Panic in her eyes, Bobbi then rushed to Clint, who had collapsed onto his legs in pain as he clutched his arm, his bow on the ground.

"Oh God, Clint," Bobbi winced as she watched her fiance grit his teeth, his groans of pain loud even in the din of the war around them. Fighting the pain as best he could, Clint shocked Bobbi as he ripped the shirt from a civilian's body and began to form a makeshift sling, only to have Bobbi grab his good arm.

"You're not fighting in this condition," Bobbi said with a glare. "I'm getting an evac for-"

"The world is literally ending around us, Bobbi," Clint interrupted with a similar glare as he forced himself to his feet. "You think I'm just going to sit around as people are dying left and right?!" With a grunt, he grabbed a fallen sword from a demon corpse, testing it with several swings. "This is what we're trained to do, no matter the cost, and I'll be damned if-"

 _ **KRAKOOOOOM!**_

Iron Man crashed onto the ground only feet away, a large demon cushioning his fall as it roared in rage. Before it could do anything, though, the armored hero unleashed a powerful uni-beam blast right onto its face. A brilliant explosion of light and fire later, the demon was dead, its head smoking from the blast.

Turning to the two agents, Stark let out a mirthless chuckle as he stumbled off the demon's body. His armor crackled all over the place, sparks flying as his arc reactor blinked and fizzled on and off. Several chunks of armor were missing, as well. "Damn it, Legolas, can't you ever fight with a weapon from this century?"

Both immediately noticed the brokenness of the armor's voice modules. Iron Man's eye slits then suddenly blacked out, before the billionaire crashed onto the ground with a metallic thud.

"Stark!" Clint yelled as he and Bobbi rushed over to him. Natasha and Steve came over seconds later; the Russian's uniform was torn in several places, a bleeding gash on her forehead and one of her stinger crackling, damaged in combat. Steve's cowled helmet was missing, his blonde hair dirty, with his uniform ripped in several areas.

"Tony, you're not dying!" Steve yelled as he grabbed the hero's head, ripping the visor off and throwing it aside. "Not today!" Unsure of what to do, he addressed Tony's AI, "JARVIS, what do we do?!" Unfortunately, with the armor out of power, JARVIS was unable to respond.

"We have a problem, team," Nat said as she readied her remaining stinger. The other three quickly turned to follow her gaze, their eyes widening a second later. Lumbering towards them was the largest demon they had seen thus far, easily around 30 feet with a flaming axe in its hand, covered in armor made of flesh. With a horrible roar, it swung its axe at the heroes.

"Hit the deck!" Rogers yelled as he grabbed Iron Man and leapt out of the way, the other three quickly acting as well. The flaming axe exploded upon striking the streets, sending flames and shockwaves in all directions. The four SHIELD agents were caught in the blast, each sent flying. Steve's grip on Tony was forcibly rattled, the armored billionaire landing several feet away from the Living Legend...the closest to the demon.

Inside his armor, Tony was gasping and panicking. He knew that with his armor dead, he was completely powerless and vulnerable. His chest arc was now diverting all little that remained of its power to sustain his heart, even if it would only last precious minutes more. His voice hoarse from gasping and yelling in pain, he could do nothing as the demon grabbed him and lifted him up into the air with a sinister roar.

"Tony!" Steve yelled in horror at the sight before him. Quickly, he grabbed his shield and made to throw it with all his might at the 30 foot demon. The billionaire was one of his few friends in the modern world, and he was not about to lose him. Before Captain America could unleash his weapon, though, and before the demon could do anything to the billionaire, it began to instead roar in pain.

Dropping both Tony and its axe, the creature grabbed at it stomach area, eyes wide. Steve quickly moved to catch the falling armored hero. All eyes then widened in shock as six metal claws sliced their way through the demon's flesh, the monster roaring louder each second. Falling to its knees, Steve, Natasha, Clint and Bobbi were easily able to see the claws dig their way through the demon's stomach, a hole forming in its flesh and getting bigger with each slash. Within moments, a figure emerged from the hole, yelling and roaring in a berserker rage as demon blood covered him from head to toe to claw.

James 'Logan' Howlett, known to the world as the Wolverine, member of the X-Men. A fellow member of Captain America's elite squad in World War II, the Howling Commandos.

"What the fuck?!" Clint hissed in shock, clutching his broken.

The agents watched in shock as the mutant jumped out of the demon, roaring as he did so. As he landed, the large demon collapsed onto its hand, its other clutching at the gaping wound Logan had left him. Logan was covered in blood, his black X-Men uniform burned and charred by stomach acid and fire. With a grunt and snarl, he ripped the top of his uniform off and threw it aside, revealing his hairy build and his dog tags, chunks of flesh and skin regrowing thanks to his healing factor.

"Logan!" Natasha called out, Logan turning to the other heroes as the Russian came over to him. "What the hell happened-?"

"Bad day, leave it at that," Wolverine replied bluntly, cracking his neck as he scowled. He did not want to relive the scenario that ended with him inside the creature again. "Someone wanna tell me what the fuck is going on here?! This stink ain't coming off for weeks!" Noting how Steve was holding the unmoving Iron Man, he added, "The fuck is wrong with him?"

"The demon that you came out of basically trashed him, and his suit is broken," Steve replied, knowing not to bother with a greeting with his old friend.

"Well, that sucks, don't it?"

A vicious roar caught all their attention. The large demon, while dying in front of them, glared at them before roaring again. It began to stand, making to grab its weapon lying on the ground-

 _ **SCREABOOOOOMMM!**_

...only for something to slam through its head, sending demonic flesh and blood flying in all directions. That was only the half of it, though; just as the demon's body crashed onto the ravaged streets, the object that killed the demon crashed landed right in front of the group of heroes, several feet away. As the dust settled, it was revealed to be a human sized metal pod with a familiar red and gold coloring, and a vibrant arc reactor glowed from it.

"...well, look what finally showed up," Morse remarked.

'Captain, agents," the voice of JARVIS suddenly spoke from the pod, which began to hiss as it opened. 'If you could please place Mister Stark into the pod; his heart will fail within the next minute.' At that, the suit that Stark was wearing suddenly whined to life briefly for a second before it suddenly fell off Stark's body, revealing the dying billionaire. Stark was wheezing, trying to yell in pain but unable to, his skin pale and sweat pouring out of his body.

"Holy shit," Logan muttered as he helped Steve stuff Stark into the metal pod, slightly surprised by Stark's appearance. Once he was inside, mechanized whining rang out as robotic arms began placing pieces of black and gold armor, covering his entire body. A new armored chest piece was the first thing to appear, a vibrant arc reactor glowing on it. As the rest of the armor was placed onto Stark's body, the new reactor sent an overflow of power and energy into his heart's reactor, reinvigorating the billionaire. After less than a minute, Stark was back on his feet, ready to get back into action with his newest suit: black and gold, sleek and glowing red visor eyes, reactor and repulsor nodes.

'Iron Man Mk XX is now fully online,' JARVIS stated. 'All systems are fully operational.'

"JARVIS, I take back everything I've ever said about you, at least for today," Stark laughed as his repulsors whined with immense power. "Ladies," he added to the other heroes, "meet the MK XX, the newest of my toys."

Several demonic roars and screeches replied before the heroes could say anything. The concern for Stark disappeared as the situation at hand captured their attention again. Several dozen more demons landed around them, weapons at the ready and blazing, the creatures' maws gaping with acid and flames. More demons were on their way, all just as flaming and armed.

"Less talking, more fighting, Stark," Logan remarked, releasing his claws once more. "Time to put that fancy new suit o'yours to the test, bub."

"Hit them fast and hard!" Captain America called out as he leapt at the demons, Wolverine right behind him. Iron Man and Black Widow soon followed, with Mockingbird staying near Hawkeye to watch his back, still concerned about him with his broken arm. They clashed against the demons tooth and nail, the power of the feral X-Man and armored billionaire bolstering their efforts immensely. Demons roared and screeched as repulsors and bullets rang and exploded, with claws slashing away and metal striking burning flesh. The group of heroes continued to press on, pushing deeper into the carnage as they fought the hordes of Hell.

'Sir,' JARVIS suddenly spoke to Iron Man. 'There is a projectile approaching our position at an astonishing speed.'

"Head's up!" Stark yelled out as he blasted a demon in the chest. "There's something coming this way pretty fast!"

Logan was the first to hear it, thanks to his heightened senses. Looking up from another impaled demon, he was the first to see a red and blue blur pass by the heroes faster than they could blink. What was strange, though, and immediately caught their attention was that the blur was yelling.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

Tony blinked under his visor, he and the rest following the blur as it flew deeper into Central Park. "What the fuck was that?"

Logan, smirking and suppressing a laugh, had a pretty good idea just what it was. Or rather, who that was. "Let's find out, Stark. Let's see what else your new suit can do!"

* * *

 _ **The Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. San Francisco, California, USA**_

 _ **12:35 PM PST, Wed 23 August 2010**_

* * *

Born out of a dream where mutant and humans could live together in peace, Professor Charles Xavier build his original school in Westchester, New York to push his ideals forward. Now standing proudly in the city of San Francisco, the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters shone as a hopeful symbol of human-mutant peace for the future. The school was also home to a team of mutant heroes known to the world as the X-Men. Not only do they defend a world that fears and hates them, they are tasked to defend and teach young mutants to control their abilities.

Normally, the school was teaming with energy. Students would be packing the hallways and classrooms, the X-Men happily completing their roles as teachers. While this has been the norm only an hour ago, it was not so anymore. The many students were instead in their dorms or the lounges, watching the demonic invasion of New York on TV. Many of the faculty were watching with the students.

"Professor, isn't there something we can do?" Kitty Pryde asked, immense concern as he ran her hand through her ponytail. "I mean, we're the X-Men. I feel so helpless just sitting here, watching."

"I wish there was, Kitty," Professor Xavier sighed with regret. He frowned as he rolled his wheelchair to where Kitty was sitting, holding her shoulder. "But even if it weren't being repaired at the moment, not even the Blackbird would be able to get the team to Manhattan fast enough. All that is left for us to do is pray and hope for the best."

"Don't worry, Sugah; You know that Logan's there somewhere, slicing and dicing some of those demon bastards for us," Anne Marie said in an attempt to comfort her teammate. She gave Kitty's shoulder a small squeeze through her gloves. Though she tried to sound confident, she was evidently worried about Logan; he was the closest thing to a father she had nowadays.

"I just can't believe he slashed the roof of my car again," Scott Summers muttered in agitation as he held an ice pack to his cheek. Beneath his ruby quartz shades, his eyes were narrowed in irritation. While he and Logan didn't get along at best, he was still concerned for his teammate; he wasn't one to vocalize such a thing, though. "Why did he have to stay in New York, anyways?"

"He said he wanted time to collect himself," Jean Grey huffed in a mix of agitation and worry, tearing her eyes from the screen to glare at her boyfriend from the other side of the couch they shared. "It's not like he should've known that an invasion was going to happen today. Give him a break; it's bad enough you went out of line calling him out like that in that last mission."

Scott turned to Jean in shock. "Come on, Jean, he almost killed those MRD agents. There was no reason for that, or for him to get into a battle with Sabretooth...or punch me, for that matter."

Jean only scoffed, returning her attention to the battle on the tv screen. Her worry for Logan gnawed at her like crazy, her head a storm of emotions and confusion. She felt like she was betraying Scott in this way. Yet, he had been really distant as of late, ever since their former enemy Emma Frost had joined the X-Men and school staff in an attempt at redemption.

Before anyone could say anything else, Piotr Rapustin suddenly exclaimed aloud in Russian. "Bohze Moi!" All eyes watched as the news cameras managed to catch the Wolverine clawing his way out of one of the demon's stomach, his expression like that of a feral beast. Covered with blood and guts all over, he ripped his burnt and melted off uniform and slashed the demon's head off.

The students cheered as they watched one of their favorite professor kick ass, many of the X-Men breathing in relief as they saw that Logan was ok. Professor Xavier simply shook his head and rubbed his temple in regards to his most difficult case ever.

"How the hell did he get in there in the first place?" Scott muttered aloud, shaking his head in exasperation. He didn't see Jean's expression of relief. She was glad no one could hear how fast her heart was beating. She hoped that Logan survived…so she could give him a piece of her mind when he got back.

* * *

 **Hello guys, Harlequin K here with yet another chapter for EMH: A. I do apologize for the delay but my computer broke, and it has been a crazy couple of months. But now I'm back and with my creative juices flowing. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it. Some questions that were ask in the reviews are answer in this chapter.**

 **To answer a question some of you asked that where would I go from here now that they're facing the demons from the Marvel Universe. Well... I won't say much because that would spoiling it, but I have many situations for the Avengers, and especially Carol and Peter. So keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter that I'll be dropping two huge hints.**

 **As always read and review any questions are welcome and I'll be more than happy to answer them.**

 **Harlequin K**


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